Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Tudose assured European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, who was visiting Bucharest on Thursday 28 September, of Romania’s full commitment to attaining the energy union’s goals, stating that this integration project would be a core topic of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2019.
Tudose also made clear his country’s openness to improving the dialogue with Commission experts to optimise identification of regional infrastructure priorities and coordination of this sector’s cross-border investment, his press service reports.
Romania is fully engaged in the initiative on gas connectivity in Central and South-Eastern Europe (CESEC), set up by the Commission in 2015 to encourage the development of the infrastructure that was lacking and secure gas supply in the region (see other article).
In addition to matters relating to the energy situation specific to Romania, the country’s representatives stressed the importance they attach to regional cooperation in this field, as it represents an important chapter in the new national energy strategy.
The Romanian authorities and Šefčovič also talked about financing prospects for the construction of new capacities and energy infrastructure, including by drawing on EU funds.
Šefčovič hailed Romania’s progress in the area of renewable energy – it has already achieved and surpassed the target assigned it by the EU of lifting the proportion of renewables in the primary energy mix to 24% by 2020 – stating that it might help the countries which are having a hard time in reaching their target.
The Commission vice-president said he was impressed with the development of energy technology in Romania given the potential it has in the region in terms of solar, wind, hydro or biomass energy, Agerpress reports.
Šefčovič also called on Romania to be more active in the energy market and said it could play a key role in improving the situation in Central and South-Eastern Europe, the most vulnerable region in the EU in terms of energy. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)