CERA unveils ‘market light’ for energy liberalisation - CYPRUS MAIL

January 10, 2017
Elias Hazou

The Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (Cera) has unveiled its latest stopgap proposal ahead of the full opening up of the energy market.

CERA head Andreas Poulikas told MPs on Tuesday the authority has drafted a regulation introducing a “market-light,” as he put it, ahead of the transition to full market liberalisation.

Lawmakers also heard that the target now for full liberalisation is by May 2019. The date has been pushed back several times.

CERA is proposing bilateral contracts between electricity producers and suppliers. Under this arrangement, market clearance would take place every calendar month.

New Draft Law On Gas Market Downstream and Midstream Activities - SHARKAWY & SARHAN

Issue 85, 15 January 2017

The draft gives private parties access to the gas infrastructure and provides details of a new licensing regime.

Despite the great gas discovery back in August 2015 (see here), the gas market still suffers; as Egypt's gas production does not meet market needs (see here). As an attempt to overcome this inefficiency and reform the gas sector, the government chose to embark on a gradual gas market liberalization scheme, in conformity with international practice. After two years of working on a new gas transmission system with technical assistance from the EU, in December the government submitted to parliament its revised draft law regarding the regulation of the downstream and midstream sectors. The Draft Gas Market Activities Regulation Law (the “Draft Gas Law”) is another step by the government in the right direction for policy reform. The new regime will hopefully improve the investment environment both in the oil & gas sector, as well as in industrial and export sectors reliant on gas.
The Draft Gas Law does not address the gas upstream sector or oil concession agreements. The legal framework of upstream activities is still intact. The Draft Gas Law regulates transmission, distribution, storage, liquefaction, regasification, shipping and supply of gas (the “Gas Market Activities”). The Draft Gas Law is an attempt to gradually liberalize the gas market. It allows the private sector for the first time to engage in Gas Market Activities.

Wary of Russian gas, EU pushes TBP, Vertical Corridor - NEW EUROPE

Trans Balkan Pipeline (TBP) (Burgas Alexandroupolis pipeline)

SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Russia has said it will abandon Ukrainian gas transit in 2019 while the EU is looking for ways to protect its member states and Kiev
By Kostis Geropoulos
Energy & Russian Affairs Editor, New Europe

European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič, Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete and Energy Ministers from 12 EU and Energy Community countries and contracting parties in Central and Southeastern Europe have discussed cooperation under the European Commission Initiative on Central and South-Eastern European Gas Connectivity (CESEC), launched in 2015.

At a meeting in Budapest on September 9, the Bulgaria–Romania–Hungary–Austria (BRUA) Connecting Europe Facility Grant agreement of €179 million was signed.