Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection: joint efforts with the EU will prompt integration of energy markets
The Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection continues to work on harmonizing Ukrainian legislation with European standards, which would create favorable conditions for integration of Ukrainian markets.
The Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection continues to work on harmonizing Ukrainian legislation with European standards, which would create favorable conditions for integration of Ukrainian markets, Olha Buslavets, Acting Minister of Energy and Environmental Protection, said during an online discussion of the progress in implementing Annex XXVII to the Association Agreement organized by DiXi Group, Ukrainian Energy reports.
“Joint efforts with the EU, the work on developing the energy infrastructure and complete harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European requirements and standards would create favorable conditions for integration of energy markets,” she said.
Speaking about the “bottlenecks” of endorsement procedure, Olha Buslavets said that Ukraine must seek endorsement of its revised legislation by European institutes within three months.
“However, we have urgent issues in the energy sector, which will be very complicated by this endorsement period,” Mrs. Buslavets noted.
Therefore, priority must be given in these procedures to certain projects and acts which need to be approved immediately, or a simplified approval procedure must be opted for.
“The additional resources we need – technical, legal, human – are available,” the Acting Minister clarified.
A significant portion of Ukraine’s commitments to the European Union in the energy sector has been fulfilled, Mrs. Buslavets stressed.
Moderating the online discussion, DiXi Group President Olena Pavlenko said that the EU must inform Ukraine about all changes in the directives which concern implementation of Annex XXVII to the Association Agreement. Ukraine must hold consultations with the EU regarding the regulatory acts developed within the framework of that Annex.
“The Verkhovna Rada ratified the updated Annex in June 2019. Its implementation must facilitate a complete integration of Ukrainian electricity and gas markets into the EU. The Verkhovna Rada ratified the Annex as a part of the Association Agreement, but the government is not in a hurry to carry it out. Because of that document, the EU can block the passage of laws not conformant with the Association Agreement,” Olena Pavlenko reminded.
The participants of the online discussion of the progress in implementing Annex XXVII to the Association Agreement, organized by DiXi Group on 28 April, included representatives of Ukrainian public authorities, the Ukrainian parliament, European Commission, Energy Community Secretariat, nongovernmental organizations and international partners.
