Energy Union Misses Robust External Dimension, Says Energy Charter Secretary Rusnák

While the European Commission presents additional measures to support Ukraine in its political and economic transition, Energy Charter’s Secretary General Urban Rusnák said that the Energy Union package misses an external dimension. 

‘What the Energy Union package is missing according to Dr. Rusnák, is a well-planned and defined external dimension. While the integration of energy systems within the European Union is well developed among most of its Member States, no emphasis is put on the connection with partners outside of the European Union's geographic coverage’ reads a note released on Monday, after the first Energy Charter Press Briefing on the Energy Union.

The Energy Charter is going through tumultuous times, as suggested by Italy’s decision to withdraw from the multilateral organisation originally intended to integrate the energy sectors of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The organisation is based on a legally binding treaty that includes dispute resolution procedures, but needs to find a new identity given the partial overlapping of the organisation with other bodies like the WTO. 

After the conference on Monday, it clearly emerges that the Energy Charter wants to fill the vacuums allegedly left by European authorities.

‘The Energy Charter can be the instrument to reach out to countries around the world, especially those energy producing states which should be taken into account in the external dimension of the Energy Union’ concludes the note 

Also on Monday, the European Commission reiterated its commitment to support Ukraine. 

‘Pending the entry into force of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) part of the Agreement on 1st January 2016, the EU continues to apply autonomous trade measures for the benefit of Ukraine, granting Ukrainian exporters continued preferential access to EU markets’ the European Commission wrote on its website, adding that Brussels is ready to scale up humanitarian assistance. 

The Ukrainian government welcomed Brussels' position, opening the doors of the domestic gas industry to European companies.

"We want our European friends and partners to be shareholders of the Ukrainian gas transportation system. This will be the best answer to the energy independence of Ukraine and the European Union," Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk said during the Ukraine - EU summit in Kyiv on Monday.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities said that European authorities turned a blind out on Ukraine, which was accused by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of "dodging the implementation of Minsk accord."