The EU's Energy Security and Solidarity Action Plan sets the overarching political framework for energy policy throughout the EU and for the Western Balkans. In the region the Energy Community Treaty (ECS) provides the overall mechanism to guide the necessary reforms and investments. The ECS Secretariat works closely with the Contracting Parties to fulfill their obligations and has established a number of working groups and task forces to support their efforts.

The IFI Coordination Office cooperates with the Energy Community Secretariat on an on-going basis and is currently working together with Secretariat on the issue of support for implementing energy efficiency commitments. The IFI Coordination Office has completed a review of the various financial facilities, funded by the EC, IFIs and bilateral donors that promote energy efficiency in the Western Balkans. The full report is available here and a summary report is available here.

The Energy Community Secretariat has been asked to prepare a regional energy strategy on behalf of the Contracting Parties to the ECT. Amongst other issues this will seek to identify criteria for projects of a regional nature and look at investment requirements. It is currently foreseen that this strategy will be presented to the Ministerial Council of the ECT for endorsement in autumn 2012.

For further information on EC/IFI expert discussions in the energy sector, as well as on energy policies and strategies and organisations active in this sector please consult the Library and Links section.