This morning a EVN delegation of 14 representatives paid a visit to the Secretariat. The delegation was lead by Mr. Stefan Szyszkowitz, Chairman of the Management Board of EVN Bulgaria EAD.

Zagreb, 18 December 2009 The 7th Energy Community Ministerial Council approved today the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the Energy Community. The accession will be effective when and if these countries solve the remaining gaps and make their gas laws comply with the EU acquis requirements and complete their respective ratification procedures.

In 2008 the Energy Community Secretariat commissioned APCS and CONSENTEC to carry out a study on coordinated congestion management amongst its Contracting Parties. The study aims to resolve open issues of the technical concepts developed so far, address crucial organisational and commercial issues, such as risk management, business process development, revenue distribution. Ultimately, the study makes proposals for the potential future congestion management method in SEE and for the organisational structure to implement it.

The present ECRB Work Programme outlines the focal points for the year 2010 and gives an outlook to its upcoming activities. The presentation follows the structure of the three ECRB Working Groups – Electricity, Gas and Customers – as well as the Implementation Group for the South East European Coordinated Auction Office (SEE CAO). General Activities of the ECRB in the upcoming year are related to reporting and the continual cooperation with ERGEG.

Yesterday, Ms. Claudia Huebsch, General Manager, and Mr. Konrad Autengruber, Member of the Board of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber umbrella organisation Energy-Climate Protection, paid a visit at the Secretariat. The aim of the visit was to exchange information and examine possibilities of future co-operation.

The Energy Community Electricity Forum convened for the fifteenth time in Athens, Greece on 25 -26 November 2009. On top of the next steps regarding the Co-ordinated Auction Office project, the Forum discussed the price impact of cross subsidization and insufficient cost reflectivity. Also, the lack of market transparency was subject to discussion. Special attention was put on a new ECRB report on vulnerable customers and a World Bank financed study on Wholesale Market Opening. Finally the electricity infrastructure was observed in perspective of regional market priorities.

The Energy Community Regulatory Board (ECRB) at its 12th meeting on 25 November 2009 agreed on a common position providing input to the understanding of "vulnerable household customers". Based on the related request of the 14th Athens Forum, the ECRB analyzed possible approaches for the definition of “vulnerable customers”, making use of experience on Energy Community, European and US level. Proper protection of the interest of customers – and in particular household customers – is one of the key challenges for liberalised markets. Customer protection consequently is one of the focal points of the ECRB activities.

Yesterday the project team of the EU financed Twinning project “"Institutional Strengthening of the Energy Regulatory Commission" (MK/2007/IB/EN/01) paid a visit at the Secretariat. The team was led by Mr Dan Rieser from Austrian regulator E-Control, which is key partner of the Twinning project.

Close to 60 ambassadors and diplomats, including representatives of the Austrian ministries, followed yesterday the invitation by Director Neykov on the “Briefing on the Energy Community”. The formal reason for the briefing was the conclusion of the Work Programme 2008-2009 and the presentation of the new Work Programme 2010-2011. Director Neykov presented the Work Programme after the key note speech by Mr. Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General for Energy of DGTREN of the European Commission, and welcome address by H.E. Mr. Lars-Erik Lundin, Head of EC Delegation to the International Organizations in Vienna.

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Valeriu Lazar, and Mr. Slavtcho Neykov, Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, met to exchange views on the key tasks related to the work on Moldova’s accession to the Energy Community. The meeting took place on the occasion of the 6th Vienna Economic Forum, in Vienna.

The first workshop on statistics in the context of the Energy Community took place from 29 – 30 October 2009 in Vienna. The workshop brought together representatives of the regulators, ministries and statistical agencies. In terms of content, the Secretariat was strongly supported by the experts of EUROSTAT, IEA and DGTREN Market Observatory. The workshop outlined the reporting obligations arising from the Treaty and took stock of the prevailing data collection practices in South East Europe. Also, the applied methodology and best practices of the EUROSTAT, IEA and ERGEG were at the top of agenda.

Yesterday a delegation of the Albanian Regulatory Authority, led by its Chair Mr. Bujar Nepravista paid a visit to the Energy Community Secretariat. It was ERE’s second visit and took place upon a personal invitation by Director Mr. Slavtcho Neykov. The visit is part of the Secretariat’s initiative to promote the role of the regulator in the region.

Today the Austrian Energy Group held its regular meeting at the Energy Community Secretariat and received thereby a briefing about the Energy Community process. The Austrian Energy Group is an informal discussion platform that debates about different energy policy issues. It members represent several Austrian ministries, regulator, business and other Vienna based energy agencies.

Yesterday, the 4 - day World Forum of Energy Regulation with close to 1000 participants came to its conclusions in Athens, Greece. The programme of the Forum broke down in four tracks, namely security of supply, climate change, competitiveness and affordability and on best practices for regulators.

The World Bank financed study recommends the creation of a regional market founded on a Day-Ahead Market (DAM) with implicit auction and cross-border capacities allocated to it. To this end, the study favours staged involvement. The creation of a DAM presumes several preconditions. To be able to meet this target, political willingness and support for the required changes and commitment to the action plan(s) from all the stakeholders in the region are vital.

Mr. Miljenko Pavlaković, Croatian State Secretary for Finance and Commodity Reserves officially opened the 2nd Social Forum in Zagreb, Croatia on 13 October 2009. The two-day event brought together representatives of ministries, trade unions, regulators, donors and business. The aim of the Forum was to quantify the progress achieved after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Social Issues.

In Case ECS-2/08 against the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Energy Community Secretariat received last week the official reply by the Government to its Reasoned Opinion of 17 July 2009. In the Secretariat’s Reasoned Opinion, the Government was requested to make clear and unequivocal commitments as to rectifying the specified instances of non-compliance. In its reply, however, the Government denies that the Law on Energy as well as the secondary legislation covered by Case ECS-2/08 are in breach of Energy Community law.

On Thursday, 8 October 2009, the 1st meeting of the Renewable Energy Task Force kicked-off in full force the implementation process of the new EU renewable energy Directive in the Energy Community. More than 30 renewable energy experts from Contracting Parties, Observer Countries, Participants, Donor Community and organisations active in the renewable energy field came together to define the implementation steps of the Directive 2009/28/EC in the Energy Community.

Yesterday, the Kiev based International Centre for Policy Studies jointly organized with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung an international conference on the Energy Community process. The enlargement of the Energy Community and what’s in there for Ukraine centered the discussions. The 1 - day conference brought together representatives of the Ukrainian parliament, think-tanks, business, donors, several EU diplomats, the European Commission and the Energy Community Secretariat.

Yesterday, 28 Sep 2009, eight representatives of Vienna based international organisations dealing with energy followed Director Slavtcho Neykov’s initiative and attended a meeting at the premises of the Secretariat. The meeting was hosted jointly with the Austrian Ministry for International and European Affairs.

On Friday, 25th September the first Oil Forum came to its conclusions in Belgrade, Serbia. The Forum was jointly organised by the Energy Community and International Energy Agency (IEA) with the support of the Serbian Government and Transnafta. The Forum was the first Energy Community official event in the area of oil upon the Ministerial Council decided to include the oil dimension in the scope of the Community activities. The 2- day event, opened by H.E the Prime Minister of Serbia. Mr. Mirko Cvetkovic, focused on the current situation with the planned pipelines in the region, perspective for downstream oil business, investment in refining and experience of Contracting Parties in exploration and production.

The 1st Oil Forum in the context of the Energy Community was officially opened today by H.E. Mr. Mirko Cvetkovic, Prime Minister of Republic of Serbia in Belgrade, Serbia. Target performance analyses of the prevailing oil stocks in South East Europe constitute the starting point of the Forum. “In light of the January 2009 gas crises, oil stocks buffered the impact and prevented the worst case scenario of a complete stand still in most countries from the region. Oil stocks are an integral part of the region’s security of supply concept – this is one of lessons learned from the January crises,” says Director Slavtcho Neykov of the Energy Community Secretariat.

The Energy Community and International Energy Agency (IEA) will host the first Oil Forum in the the context of the Energy Community on 24 – 25 September 2009, in Belgrade, Serbia. In December 2008, the Energy Community Ministerial Council decided to include oil as part of its definition on “network energy” and to establish Oil Forum as a new, pan–regional consultation platform.

The 1st Security of Supply Coordination Group (SoS CG) Meeting and 4th Meeting of the Energy Community Gas Forum in the context of the Energy Community took place in Ljubljana, on the 10th and 11th September 2009. Security of supply, investments and market regulations were at the top of the agenda.

On 9 September 2009, a Turkish delegation lead by Mr Yusuf Yazar, Deputy Undersecretary for Energy, met with a European Commission negotiating team headed by Mr Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General for Energy, for a first negotiating session in view of Turkey's accession to the Energy Community Treaty. This first meeting took place at the premises of the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna.

Based on prior mutual agreement, a meeting between Mr. Konstantin Staschus, Secretary General of ENTSO-E, and the Energy Community Secretariat took place on Tuesday, 8 September 2009. The aim of the meeting was to examine ways to intensify contacts between the two organisations.

The Secretariat of the Energy Community opens the application period for the position of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Expert with the commencement date of employment as of 1 January 2010.

Today, 22 July 2009, an official Serbian delegation, including top managers from TRANSNAFTA and Prof. Slobodan Sokolovic from the University of Novi Sad, paid official visit to the Secretariat.

Today the Energy Community Secretariat has submitted a Reasoned Opinion in Case ECS-2/08 against the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The case concerns several aspects of the Energy Law as amended in 2008 with a bearing on the structure of the wholesale electricity market and the methodology for calculating regulated distribution tariffs.

This report represents a first step in investigation of the regulatory and legal framework and current practices concerning quality of electricity service in the region of South East Europe. Its aim is to give an overview of the current situation regarding the quality of electricity service standards in the Energy Community in respect to quality regulation.

In the process of establishing a Coordinated Auction Office in South East Europe, SEE CAO, a number of legal questions have to be clarified. This starts from regulatory issues of auction licensing and capacity allocation rules and leads to questions of tax law, antitrust and competition law. To effect, the Energy Community sought for legal expertise in providing answer to these challenges. The final assessment of the Athens based Law Firm Kelemenis & Co provides an in-depth legal analysis of the possible barriers for TSOs and/or traders to participate. Secondly, it assesses the legal requirements for establishing the SEE CAO. The analysis of the study is a key for the practical setting up of the SEE CAO.

Today a delegation led by Mr. Dimitar Petrov - President/Commissioner from Energy Regulatory Commission, ERC, of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia paid a visit to the Energy Community Secretariat. The visit was based on the Secretariat’s invitation and took place few weeks after the designation of Mr. Petrov as the new president of the ERC.

Today a delegation led by Mr. Ibrahim Agayev, Project Leader of the Twinning Project and Head of the legal Department of the Ministry of Industry and Energy in Baku, Azerbaijan paid a visit to the Secretariat. The visit was called upon based on a special request by Mr. Walter Sandtner, German Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA). The Twinning project with name “Legal Approximation and Structural Reform in the Energy Sector of Azerbaijan” aims to align the Azeri energy sector closer to that of the EU.

On the occasion of the 6th Ministerial Council, a letter written by Mr. Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Energy was circulated to the members of the Ministerial Council. In it Commissioner expresses his “concerns as regards the unsatisfactory development in relation to the implementation of regionally coordinated congestion management mechanisms in South Eastern Europe, as required by Regulation (EC) no 1228/2003”.

On the occasion of the 13th PHLG, the World Bank was invited to present a draft report of its study on Wholesale Market Opening in Sarajevo. “South East Europe is continuously threatened by electricity shortages. The aim of the study is to look for endurable ways to encounter this threat”, said Mr. Kari Nyman from the Word Bank. Building on the state of play, the study sketches the next necessary steps in electricity market opening. The study proposes the establishment of a regional Day-Ahead Market (DAM) as a countermeasure to electricity shortages.

Today the 6th Ministerial Council convened in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. The meeting was opened by H.E. Mr. Mladen Zirojevic – Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and by Mr. Fabrizio Barbaso – Deputy Director General of DG TREN. Market opening and the implementation of the EU Directive 2003/54 on electricity and Directive 2003/55 on gas was at the top of the agenda. The ministers also took decisive steps to push further energy efficiency and usage of renewable energy on the ground of the EU acquis.

The Energy Community Secretariat was yesterday the venue of a “Workshop on the Assessment of Social Action Plans”. This 2nd workshop on social issues was organised by the Secretariat in co-operation with DG Employment, Equal Opportunities and Social Affairs (DG EMPL). The preparation and further, the implementation of the Social Actions Plans stood at the centre of the attention of the TAIX funded workshop.

Today's workshop in Belgrade was jointly organised by the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat, with support of the Energy Community (EnC) Secretariat. The opening remarks were delivered by Chair of the parliamentary Committee on Industry of the Serbian Assembly, Milorad Buha; Senior RCC Expert on Infrastructure and Energy, Miroslav Kukobat; and Director of Energy Community Secretariat, Slavtcho Neykov.

Yesterday evening Mr. Slavtcho Neykov, Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, and Dr. Erhard Busek, Chairman of Institute for the Danube Region, debated on the impact of the Energy Community on European security of supply at the Vienna Diplomatic Academy. Energy Community membership brings about rule of law and reduced risk of energy crises was the key message of the debate.

The workshop "Establishment of Emergency Oil Stocks in Southeast Europe” is a joint effort by the European Commission (DGTREN), International Energy Agency (IEA) and HANDA, Croatian Compulsory Oil Stock Agency. The two day event (28-29 May 2009) was opened by Director Kresimir Baranovic from HANDA. As one of the speakers, Director Slavtcho Neykov outlined the Oil Dimension of the Energy Community. Also, Mubera Bicakcic, in her role as representative of Presidency in Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, addressed the audience.

We would like to draw your attention to a podium discussion between Dr. Erhard Busek, Chairman of Institute for the Danube Region and Mr. Slavtcho Neykov, Director of the Energy Community Secretariat on “THE ENERGY COMMUNITY – A BLUEPRINT FOR SECURITY OF SUPPLY IN WIDER EUROPE” at the Vienna Diplomatic Academy, at 7 p.m. on 2 June 2009.

Mr. Boyko Nitzov, Director, and Mr. Alexandros Petersen, Associate Director from Eurasia Energy Center paid today a visit at the Secretariat. The Eurasia Energy Center is the new energy arm of the Washington D.C. based think tank, the Atlantic Council of the United States.

Yesterday, Mr. Morgan Landy, Regional Manager, Mr. Rimas T. Puskorius, Portofolio Manager from International Finance Corporation (IFC) Office in Turkey, together with Mrs. Maja Gedoseva, Marketing Executive from FIAS Austria Office, visited the Secretariat. The first face to face meeting between the two organisations took place upon the request of the IFC. Exchange of information in the areas of work and identification of common ground stood at the centre of attention.

As part of her one day visit in Vienna, Mrs. Dr. Meglena Kuneva, EU Commissioner for Consumer Affairs gave today a lecture at the Energy Community Secretariat. In her speech with the title ”Making Energy Markets Work For Consumers”, Commissioner Kuneva spoke about the recession, III package and about the ongoing EU consumer actions in the area of energy. In respect to the Energy Community process, she stated that “the ultimate indicator of success for the Energy Community project will be to make energy markets work better for consumers.”

The 14th Energy Community Electricity Forum took place in Athens on 12 and 13 May 2009. The next steps in the formation of the Co-ordinated Auction Office (CAO), the pressing need of cost effective tariffs and transparent market information were at the top of the agenda.

This is to inform that H.E. Commissioner Meglena Kuneva, EU Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, shall visit the Energy Community Secretariat on Friday, 15 May 2009 and shall give a lecture on the topic ‘MAKING ENERGY MARKETS WORK FOR CONSUMERS”. Her lecture will start at 11.00.

The 6th Energy Efficiency Task Force meeting convened on 5 May 2009, in Vienna. The status quo of the national energy efficiency action plans and possible inclusion of the EU energy efficiency Directives into the Acquis were at the top of the agenda. The half a day Task Force meeting was followed by a training workshop on energy efficiency action planning for buildings. The workshop was jointly organised by the SYNENERGY Programme and the Secretariat.

On 29 and 30 April, Energy Community Secretariat, USAID and Hellenic Aid held jointly a two days workshop in Vienna. The workshop marks the Energy Community’s determination to put greater focus on renewable energy starting 2009. The presentation of the new EU Renewable Energy Directive, including its implications on the Contracting Parties and Observers, as well as, the Stocktaking Report developed by IRG/CRES stood at the center of attention.

Mr. Tudor Copaci, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade of the Republic of Moldova, and Mr. Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General for Energy at the European Commission, completed today the documents in view of the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Energy Community.

Upon his request, Mr. Manfred Pils, Head of Supervisory Board of the Central Allocation Office GmbH in Freising and Head of Unit Market Management Verbund – Austrian Power Grid AG, paid a visit to the Secretariat this morning. The visit signalises Verbund APG’s enduring support for the Coordinated Auction Office project of the Energy Community. Readiness for co-operation for the CAO project stood at the centre of today’s discussions.

On 30 March Mr. Andris Piebalgs, EC Commissioner for Energy, addressed the participants of the Regional Energy Forum in Sarajevo. The Energy Community hosted the two-day conference jointly with the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction.

Sarajevo, 30 March 2009 The two-day Regional Energy Forum was opened today in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. For the first time, the Energy Community is co-organising the event jointly with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD. Focusing on electricity generation and green energy investments, the forum was opened by Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairman of Council of Ministers Nikola Spiric, EC Commissioner for Energy Andris Piebalgs and EBRD President Thomas Mirow.

On 24 March 2009, the Secretariat held a Workshop devoted to the implementation of the Large Combustion Plants Directive 2001/80/EC in the Contracting Parties.

Energy Markets Partners LLP with the co-operation of LDK Consultants, was contracted by the Energy Community to undertake a Study on Improvement of interconnection, interoperability, transparency and harmonisation of operational rules for natural gas transportation in the Energy Community in August 2008. Energy Markets Partners submitted the final report to the attention of the Secretariat in March 2009.

In August 2008 the Energy Community contracted IPA Energy & Water Economics to carry out a review of electricity tariffs across seven Contracting Parties of the Energy Community and four observer countries. IPA submitted the final report to the Secretariat in March 2009.

World Forum on Energy Regulation IV, WFER IV is the leading international conference on energy regulation, held once every three years. The WFER IV builds on the themes and key findings of the past three World Fora and will address new trends in energy regulation, recent developments in the energy industry and a range of regional and global issues. The 4th WEFR takes place from 18-21 October 2009 in Athens.

Today, Mr. Neven Kulenovic, Minister - Counsellor of Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Republic of Austria, paid a visit to the Energy Community Secretariat. The visit associates to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s function as current presidency in office.

On 18 March 2009, the Secretariat held its first Workshop on the Role of Competition Law in the Energy Community. EC-style competition rules form a part of the Energy Community acquis (Articles 18 and 19 of the Treaty).

The ECRB Work Programme outlines the focal points for the year 2009 and gives an outlook to its activities in 2010. The presentation follows the breakdown of the ECRB’s three working groups - electricity, gas and customer – and the implementation group for the South East European Coordinated Auction Office.

Today MAVIR, the Hungarian Electricity Transmission System Operator signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Coordinated Auction Office (CAO). The CAO of the South East European region stands for an ambitious project, aiming to establish a supranational auction office for capacity allocation on interconnections.

Friday, 13 March 2009, marks the commencement of a call for tenders on “Study on the implementation of the New EU Renewable Directive in the Energy Community”. The closing date for the tender is 14 April 2009.

Today, 6 March 2009, marked the conclusion of a 2 - day workshop on the EU Regulation 1775/2005. 35 participants, representing the Regulators, Ministries and TSOs from the seven Contracting Parties and Observers took part to the workshop. The Regulation 1775/2005 is an integral part of the Energy Community acquis, and aims at “setting non-discriminatory rules for access conditions to natural gas transmission systems.”

Today, Mr. Adrian Baicusi, CEO, and Mr. Stelian Alexandru Gal, Director, from Romanian Power Grid Company – Transelectrica visited the Energy Community Secretariat. On this occasion, Mr. Baicusi, officially signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Coordinated Auction Office, CAO. The CAO stands for an ambitious project, aiming to establish a supranational auction office for capacity allocation on interconnections in the South East European region.

Today, the Energy Community Secretariat received a letter from Mr. Vladimir Zdravev, General Director of MEPSO, the Electricity Transmission System Operator of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with which MEPSO officially confirmed its accession to the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Co-ordinated Auction Office (CAO). The CAO stands for an ambitious project, aiming to establish a supranational auction office for capacity allocation on interconnections in the South East European region.

Following the presentation of its final report at the 2nd Gas Forum, the World Bank / Economic Consulting Associates (ECA) presented an extension of its Gasification Study involving an analysis of the storage facilities in South East Europe. In its conclusion, the 2nd Gas “Forum welcomed the information, invited World Bank / ECA to proceed with the analysis, provide final results to the participants of the Gas Forum and make them public on the homepage of the Energy Community in due time”. The Word Bank handed in the extended study to the Secretariat in February 2009.

Mr. Evangelos Lekatsas, Chairman of the Greek TSO, Hellenic Transmission System Operator (HTSO), signed today the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Co-ordinated Auction Office (CAO). Director Slavtcho Neykov, representing the Energy Community Secretariat, and Mr. George Koutzoukos, in his role as Chair of the South East Europe Coordinated Auction Office Implementation Group, took part to the signing ceremony in Athens, Greece. The CAO project aims at the establishment of a supranational auction office for the South East European region.

On 19-20 February 2009, the Energy Community Secretariat organised a workshop on Generally Applicable Standards. The two day workshop brought together 60 representatives from the ministries, standardization institutions, electricity and gas companies, operators of the electricity and gas grids as well as, associations of electricity and gas TSOs.

The first face to face talks between the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Energy Community Secretariat took place today, 18 Feb 2009. The UNECE delegation was led by UNECE Deputy Executive Secretary, Mr. Paolo Garonna, and accompanied by Mr. Miroslav Kukobat, Head of Infrastructure and Energy Unit at the Regional Cooperation Council. The meeting took place upon the request of the UNECE and served the purpose of identifying common ground for co-operation between the three organizations, mainly in the area of energy efficiency.

Tuesday, 10 February, marks the beginning of the recruitment process for ECRB Coordinator. Qualified professionals are invited to apply via e-mail to recruitment@energy-community.org no later than Tuesday, 7 April 2009, 5 pm.

Today, Mr. Omer Hadzic, General Director of the Independent System Operator in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ISO, officially signed, in the presence of Director Neykov, the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Co-ordinated Auction Office (CAO). ISO accounts for the seventh signatory of the Memorandum. The CAO project aims at the establishment of a supranational auction office for the South East European region.

Due to its growing scope of competencies, the Secretariat presently seeks for two energy experts. Qualified professionals are invited to apply via e-mail to recruitment@energy-community.org no later than Thursday, 12 March 2009, 5 pm.

The EBRD and the Energy Community will host a Regional Energy Forum in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, on Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 March 2009, which will focus on investment opportunities in electricity generation and renewable energy. The Forum with the title “Investing in electricity generation and renewable energy” will be organised in Holiday Inn Hotel, Sarajevo.

Yesterday, 28 January 2008, the Energy Community Secretariat welcomed representatives of the White Stream Pipeline project and the Pan European Oil Pipeline project (PEOP), following their request for a meeting as to discuss possible cooperation for streamlining their future development. DG TREN of the European Commission was also present at the meeting.

Yesterday, a delegation led by Mr. Franc Dolar, Vice President and Mr. Nikos Orfanos, General Secretary, paid a visit to the Energy Community Secretariat. The first face to face meeting between the two organisations gave the Regional Energy Trade Unions Network of South Eastern Europe, RETUN SEE, the opportunity to describe the network’s mission, objectives and milestones. The Secretariat, on its behalf, described its activities in relation to Memorandum of Understanding on Social Issues.

On the occasion of the current gas crises, the seven Contracting Parties were invited to take part to the EU Gas Coordination Group meeting in Brussels. Yesterday, 19 Jan 2009, the second joint Gas Coordination Group meeting took place. It was a follow up meeting of the first meeting, scheduled for 9 January 2009.

On 14 January, Mr. Hartwig Rupp, Team leader, and Mr. Johannes Elle, Project Management, from German Technical Cooperation, GTZ, from the Sarajevo office paid a visit to the Secretariat. The purpose of the visit was the presentation of the GTZ’s new Open Regional Fund “Energy’ for South East Europe.

On the occasion of the 5th Ministerial Council, the Secretariat presented the first edition of the Energy Community Legal Framework in December 2008. The publication is now available on-line.

The Energy Community event calendar (version Jan 2009) is a direct outcome of the Energy Community Work Programme 2008-2009. The listed events are a mixture of regular institutional meetings and of accompanying meetings or workshops in line with the aims and objective of the Energy Community Work Programme 2008-2009.