20/11/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 20 November, the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) approved a proposed amendment to Article 49 of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) on the role of the Charter Secretariat, which will become the new interim depositary as of 2 February 2025, following Portugal’s notification of its intention to withdraw from the ECT and cease to be its depositary (see EUROPE 13523/25). This proposed amendment will therefore be included in the position to be adopted on behalf of the EU and Euratom at the Energy Charter Conference on 3 December. A similar proposed amendment has been added to Article 21 of the Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects (‘PEEREA’) on the designation of the Secretariat as depositary under this Protocol. The item will be adopted at a forthcoming meeting of the Council of the EU, possibly on 2 December. (PLD)