As energy security is gaining prominence and is driving policies which ensure the uninterrupted energy supply in Europe, and Southeast Europe (SEE) in particular, on March 19, the IENE is organizing a Roundtable in the European Parliament building in Brussels under the auspices of the independent MEP Prof. Nikolas Farantouris.
More specifically, as of late, energy security in SEE has become a strategic concern as the region faces a combination of geopolitical tensions, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and market uncertainties. While SEE has made progress over the last decade in diversifying energy supplies and strengthening domestic production capabilities, it remains highly dependent on imported fossil fuels, with nearly 53% of the region’s energy needs met through external sources, while some countries’ dependence exceeds 80%. This dependence makes the region particularly sensitive to global shocks, supply disruptions, and geopolitical turmoil.
Energy security in SEE is no longer simply a matter of maintaining supply but is evolving into a complex strategic challenge that encompasses infrastructure, geopolitics, markets, and resilience planning. The increasing number of attacks on tankers, pipelines, LNG terminals, and power grids, combined with broader geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East, underscore the vulnerability of energy supply chains. At the same time, significant investment and EU-led initiatives offer pathways to reduce risk, diversify sources, and strengthen the region’s role in European energy security.
Thus, as the geopolitical turmoil in the vicinity of the region continues unabated, IENE strongly believes that the time is ripe for a renewed discussion at experts’ level, of the challenges faced across SEE. The “IENE – European Parliament Roundtable on Energy Security in South East Europe” overall aim is to broaden the discussion and explore to what extent current EU policies may be affected in view of concerns over energy security and infrastructure resilience.
The Roundtable will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels (Room 7C050, Paul-Henri Spaak (PHS) Building) on Thursday, March 19, 2026, under the auspices of Prof. Nikolas Farantouris, Member of the European Parliament - Jean Monnet Professor of Energy Law. Some 40 company executives and experts will gather in order to discuss the burning issues related to energy security.
This event is being organised as part of IENE’s Energy Security Programme of IENE (link) and in the wake of the publication of its flagship report, the “SEE Energy Outlook 2025/2026” (link), where attention is drawn to energy security issues. Furthermore, the Institute recently published a Research Paper on Energy Security (link) in which these issues are analysed in detail. In addition, IENE has prepared a short Background Note (link) on the issues to be discussed during the Roundtable.
These are the six axes around which the discussion of “IENE – European Parliament Roundtable on Energy Security in South East Europe” will revolve:
- Energy demand and supply considerations
- Protection of energy infrastructure (oil, gas, electricity)
- Identification of contentious issues in SEE with direct relevance to energy security
- Cyber security and protection from cyber attacks
- Implementation of the overall security environment in the energy sector
- Crisis response, emergency preparedness & regional security coordination mechanisms
Overall, this IENE event, to be hosted in the centre of the EU institutions, is highly topical given that the coming years will test the ability of SEE countries to navigate this multilayered risk environment and ensure uninterrupted, affordable, and secure energy for their populations while contributing to the wider European energy system.
This special event is conducted at experts’ level, while there will be limited places for online attendance. Further information on this will become available in due course.
