Energy Community facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Energy Community
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 Logo
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| Secretariat | Vienna, Austria |
| Member States |  European Union
 Turkey (observer) |
| Leaders | |
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• Presidency-in-Office 2024
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 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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• Vice Presidency-in-Office
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European Commission |
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• Director of Secretariat
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 Artur Lorkowski |
| Establishment | |
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• signing of the Treaty
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1 Oct 2005 |
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• Treaty entry into force
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1 July 2006 |
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Website
www.energy-community.org |
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The Energy Community is an international group of countries. It includes the European Union (EU) and several non-EU countries. Its main goal is to create a bigger, shared energy market. This market covers Southeast Europe and Eastern Europe. Members agree to follow EU energy rules. They also work to make their energy markets more open and fair.
Contents
What is the Energy Community?
The Energy Community wants to build a huge energy market across Europe. It does this by spreading the European Union's energy rules. These rules cover energy, environment, and fair competition.
Since it started, the rules have grown. They now also include things like:
- how to keep energy supplies safe
- using energy wisely (energy efficiency)
- oil and renewable energy
- collecting energy data
- building energy infrastructure
- protecting the climate
The Energy Community also helps countries meet new EU energy goals. For example, it helps them reach targets for renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gases by 2030.
Who is Part of the Energy Community?
The Energy Community has different types of members. These include "Parties," "Observers," and "Participants."
Parties: Full Members
The Parties are the main members of the Energy Community Treaty. They have agreed to follow all its rules.
Moldova and Ukraine first joined as observers. They later became full members in 2010 and 2011. Georgia joined as a full member in 2017.
Observers: Watching and Learning
Other nearby countries can become observers. They can watch how the Energy Community works. They also have some rights and duties.
Participants: EU Countries Helping Out
Any EU country can become a participant. This means they can join important meetings. They can also share their ideas in discussions. 19 EU countries currently do this.
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Some countries like Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania were once full members. When they joined the European Union, they became participants instead.
How the Energy Community Works: Its Institutions
The Energy Community has several important groups that help it run.
Ministerial Council
This is the main group that makes decisions. It sets the rules and procedures for the Energy Community. Each member country sends a representative, usually their energy minister. The European Union sends two representatives. The Council meets once a year.
Permanent High Level Group
This group includes senior officials from each member country. They make sure that the decisions made by the ministers are followed. They also help with day-to-day tasks.
Energy Community Regulatory Board (ECRB)
This board is made up of experts from national energy agencies. They give advice on energy rules and technical details. They can also help solve arguments between energy regulators in different countries.
Fora: Discussion Groups
The fora are groups where different people can share ideas. These include people from energy companies, regulators, and consumers. They discuss energy issues and give advice to the main groups. There are different forums for electricity, gas, oil, and social issues.
Secretariat: The Daily Helpers
The Secretariat manages the daily work of the Energy Community. It helps member countries put the energy rules into practice. It also helps them write new laws. The Secretariat checks each year if countries are following the rules. If a country is not following the rules, the Secretariat can start a special process to fix it. The Secretariat is based in Vienna, Austria.
Role of the European Union
The European Union plays a very important role. It is the permanent Vice-President of the Energy Community. The European Commission helps lead meetings and prepare agendas. The EU also provides most of the money for the Energy Community's budget.
History of the Energy Community
The idea for the Energy Community started a long time ago. It grew from efforts to create a regional energy market in Southeast Europe.
Athens Memorandum
The 'Athens Memorandum' was an agreement signed in Athens in 2002. It was proposed by the European Union. This agreement set out how to develop a regional electricity market in Southeast Europe. Countries like Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece signed it. In 2003, natural gas was added to the plan. This agreement helped create the "Athens Process," which later became the Energy Community.
Energy Community Treaty
In 2004, the European Union started talks with countries in Southeast Europe. They wanted to create a legal agreement. The treaty that created the Energy Community was signed in Athens on October 25, 2005. It officially started on July 1, 2006. The treaty was first set for 10 years. In 2013, it was decided to extend it for another 10 years, until 2026.
Feedback and Improvements
Like any big organization, the Energy Community gets feedback.
Some groups felt the treaty didn't focus enough on social issues. However, the Energy Community has since worked to include social partners in its plans. This means involving workers and unions in discussions about energy reforms.
Environmental groups also worried about the promotion of coal and hydropower plants. To address this, the Energy Community has created groups to focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy. They have adopted EU rules for energy saving and set targets for renewable energy use.
See also
- Energy policy of the European Union
- Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators
