Energy will feature among the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first six months of 2019, the Romanian government pledged during a visit to Bucharest by European Commission Vice-President with responsibility for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič on Monday 2 July. The government underlined its commitment to the BRUA gas interconnection project that will link Bulgaria with Austria, via Romania and Hungary.
Energy and research and innovation policies will be among the priorities of the Romanian Presidency, as will cohesion policy and the common agricultural policy, Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă stated, indicating that she wanted political agreement to be reached on the EU’s post-2020 multiannual financial framework to be reached during her country’s term of office.
Diversification of sources of natural gas supply and the development of the energy resources of the Black Sea are the Romanian energy priorities, said Deputy Prime Minister Viorel Ștefan, restating Romania’s commitment in the BRUA interconnection project, work on which began in June.
In addition, a draft law on the conduct of offshore oil operations is a priority listed in the agenda of the Romanian parliament to boost investment in the sector, Ștefan said.
Šefčovič welcomed Romania’s involvement in the BRUA project and its keenness to capitalise on the energy resources of the Black Sea, underlining its “important role in the future of the European gas market”. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)