OREANDA-NEWS. October 21, 2015. The 13th Energy Community Ministerial Council took place today in Tirana under the Albanian Presidency in office of the Energy Community. The ministerial council adopted 20% headline target on energy efficiency and trans-European energy infrastructure regulation. This year's Ministerial Council meeting also marked a special occasion which agreed upon an ambitious set of reforms that will strengthen the Energy Community and bring it closer to the EU.

Representing the European Union in Tirana, EU Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, Arias Ca?ete, stated “The Energy Community is the most efficient instrument in ensuring effective implementation of the EU’s energy, environment and competition acquis in the European Union’s neighbourhood. Today’s Ministerial Council once again took key steps to achieve closer integration of the EU and Energy Community energy markets in a sustainable way. Today’s adoption of a 20% energy efficiency target puts the Contracting Parties on par with EU Member States. Moreover, the adoption of the TEN-E regulation lays down the foundations for a truly pan-European energy infrastructure system.”

Adopting the key recommendations from the report of the Permanent High-level group, the Ministers agreed on the implementation of a reform programme that will make the Community more efficient and inclusive. New legal acts will allow a more active involvement of the civil society in the discussions of the Energy Community, on parliamentary plenum meetings to discuss Energy Community issues, and on important improvements to the dispute settlement procedures.

"We can be proud of what we have achieved during the last 10 years, yet we can be even prouder of what awaits us. Today's meeting is a sign of European solidarity and cooperation that will significantly advance the energy relations between the Energy Community and the European Union", Arias Ca?ete added.

In addition, the meeting established a new quality of relation between the Energy Community and the European Union. The adoption of three key documents will see the Energy Community becoming an integral part of – and partner in – the Energy Union.

The Energy Community contains the EU, represented by the European Commission, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine. Armenia, Georgia, Norway, and Turkey have observer status. The activities of the Energy Community cover gas, electricity, security of supply, renewable energy, oil, energy efficiency, environment and competition.