Source: European Parliament
The Commission promotes market integration and interconnectivity in the region through the trans-European network framework, the process to establish a list of Projects of Common and Mutual Interest (PCI/PMI) and the work of the Central and South-Eastern Europe Energy Connectivity (CESEC) High-Level group[1]. Several of the region’s PCIs were financially supported from the Connecting Europe Facility in the past[2], increasing interconnectivity.
The existing PCI list contains several projects in the region, such as the interconnector between Hungary and Romania. A new PCI/PMI selection process started in September 2024.
The Commission welcomes projects that will address inter alia a closer integration of the Southeast European region with the other regions in Europe.
While the Commission continues to monitor the situation, it appears that the high prices result from a structural shortage of flexibility in the electricity system of the region in times when it is needed to meet peak demand.
The reform of the electricity market design sets out rules addressing these situations[3]. It aims to make electricity bills more independent from short-term prices and to provide greater incentives for non-fossil flexibility such as demand response and storage.
Union legislation also enables Member States to protect vulnerable consumers with regulated prices at retail level, subject to specific conditions[4].
- [1] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/infrastructure/high-level-groups/central-and-south-eastern-europe-energy-connectivity_en
- [2] https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/connecting-europe-facility_en
- [3] Regulation (EU) 2024/1747 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2019/942 and (EU) 2019/943 as regards improving the Union’s electricity market design (OJ L, 2024/1747).
- [4] Directive (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on common rules for the internal market for electricity and amending Directive 2012/27/EU (OJ 2019, L 158).