The Baltic Sea region energy ministers and the Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Mr Miguel Arias Cañete signed the Memorandum of Understanding on reinforced Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) on 8 June 2015 in Luxembourg. At the same time, 12 European countries signed a declaration for regional cooperation on security of electricity supply within the European internal market and a political declaration of the Pentalateral Energy Forum.
During the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on reinforced Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan the Minister for Economic Affairs of Latvia Ms Dana Reizniece–Ozola emphasized that: ”the BEMIP is widely considered as successful and leading example of regional cooperation in the EU. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding we officially agreed on reinforcing regional cooperation in the BEMIP region, and this demonstrates our mutual solidarity, shared values and political willingness to find the win-win solutions in that regard to contribute to the implementation of the EU energy policy goals.”
The Memorandum of Understanding declares readiness of the Member States to cooperate in addressing the current challenges in the energy sector. Baltic regional energy cooperation initiatives must be enhanced to strengthen and broaden the cooperation between the countries of the Baltic region with a view to achieve fully integrated markets, strengthen energy security, and promote the use of renewable energy resources and the demand for energy.
Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: "These agreements are a first milestone. They give the political backing to a stronger energy co-operation in Europe. The signatory countries are determined to enhance security of supply through further market integration. This is one of the main building blocks of the Energy Union which is one of the key priorities of the Juncker Commission. Today the Member States begin synchronising their efforts and working together towards cheaper and more effective solutions. Where there is a will there is a way. Today Member States are showing their will."
The Memorandum of Understanding on reinforced Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan was signed by the representatives of Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland and Sweden (Denmark will sign it at a later stage).
On 28-29 May 2015 within the joint meeting of the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) High-Level Group and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region in the field of energy policy took place in Jūrmala, Latvia, the representatives of Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Sweden and Norway as an observer reached an agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding and an Action Plan for Energy Policy until 2020.
The Action Plan defines six key areas, namely electricity and gas markets, security of supply, energy infrastructure, power generation, renewable energy and energy efficiency, in which concrete projects need to be further developed to achieve the objectives and indicators defined in the Action Plan.
For the two political declarations and the Memorandum of Understanding see DG Energy's website: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/commission-welcomes-reinforced-regional-cooperation
Photos and videos are available here: http://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/event/tte-council-energy-june-2015/arrival-and-doorstep-latvian-presidency-reizniece-ozola4
Contacts:
Evita Urpena
Ministry of Economic Affairs
Head of Public Relations Department
Phone: +371 67013193
E-mail: prese@em.gov.lv