An Energy Roundtable Briefing entitled “The Role of Europe’s Southeastern Periphery in the EU Energy Security” which brought together key policy makers, regulators, market players, academics and practitioners, was organised in Brussels by the New Europe newspaper and the Simeon Tsomokos Group (SGT) in association with the Greek Energy Forum. The conference was sponsored by Greece’s Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) and supported by the Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE)An Energy Roundtable Briefing entitled "The Role of Europe’s Southeastern Periphery in the EU Energy Security” which brought together key policy makers, regulators, market players, academics and practitioners, was organised in Brussels by the New Europe newspaper and the Simeon Tsomokos Group (SGT) in association with the Greek Energy Forum. The conference was sponsored by Greece’s Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) and supported by the Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE). The current dynamic energy security field and associated topics in South East Europe were discussed by a carefully selected group of senior policy makers from the EC headquarters in Brussels but also from Bulgaria, Greece and Italy.
This half day event held at the Sofitel Hotel opened with introductory remarks by Ms. Corina Cretu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy and by Dimitrios Papadimoulis, euro MP and Vice President of the European Parliament. In her remarks Corina Cretu stressed the importance of the energy sector in EU’s regional policies as 20% of designated funds go to support projects in the various regions. In this context, noted the EU Commissioner, SE Europe is considered a key area from a development perspective and an integral part of regional policy goals. Ms Corina Cretu identified the four pillars of regional energy policy as "energy efficiency”, "renewable”, "large energy infrastructure” and "sustainable transport”.
On his part Dr. Urban Rusnak, Secretary General of the Energy Charter, made detailed reference to the four pivots of energy security namely, security of supply, security of demand, security of transport and the absence of energy poverty. Dr. Rusnak further described the importance of energy security in achieving secure and predictable investment climate.
Dr. Gerassimos Thomas, Deputy Director General of DG Energy presented in brief the Commission’s roadmap towards achieving EU’s targets for further decarbonisation and diversification of energy supplies and routes, while Mr. Theodoros Kitsakos, CEO of Greece’s Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) discussed his company’s plans in extending the country’s gas distribution infrastructure while also focusing on selected key infrastructure projects including the Interconnector (IGI) and the use of LNG/CNG in supplying with gas remote areas.
Other participants included the well respected former Euro MP, Ms. Niki Tzavela, who headed one of Europarliament’s energy committees, Prof. Yannis Maniatis, MP and former Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change of Greece, Mr. Fabio Marchetti, Vice President of European Government Affairs at ENI SPA, Mr. Thierry Deschuyteneer of Gas Infrastructure Europe and Elio Ruggeri, Senior Vice President and Head of International Projects at Edison, Mr. Stavros Goutsos, Deputy CEO at the Public Gas Corporation of Greece, Mr. Nikos Frydas, Manager, Resource Planning of ENTSO-E, Ms Daria Nochevnik, Deputy Head of Brussels Brach at Greek Energy Forum, Mr. Julian Popov, Fellow of the European Climate Foundation and Former Minister of Environment and Water and Mr. Christian Egenhofer, Head of Energy and Climate Programme and Director of the Energy Climate House at the Centre for European Policies Studies. Mr. Constantinos Levooyannis, Head of Brussels Branch of Greek Energy Forum, Dr. Theodore Tsakiris, Assistant Professor at the University of Nicosia and Costis Stambolis, Executive Director, IENE were the chairmen of the Roundtable’s three sessions.
