On May 17th 2023, the Chairs and representatives of National Regulatory Authorities from the member countries of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), CERA (Cyprus), GASREG (Egypt), CRE (France), RAE (Greece), NGA (Israel), ARERA (Italy), EMRC (Jordan), PNA (Palestine) have gathered in Cyprus for the 4th RAAC meeting (hybrid mode). The meeting has been kindly hosted by the Vice-Chair of RAAC and CERA’s Chairman Dr. Andreas Poullikkas in its premises in the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority in Nicosia.
The meeting was opened by statements by the EMGF Secretary General, H.E. Osama Mobarez as well as the RAAC Vice-Chairman and CERA's Chairman, Dr. Andreas Poullikkas. Both greeted the participants, while noting the utmost importance of collaboration for sustainable future and the role that RAAC is playing in the East Med region especially during these challenging times.
The 4th RAAC meeting started with the Regulators’ Presidents roundtable discussion that focused on topics related to recommendations to enhance investment climate, attractiveness and innovation. The presidents stressed the necessity of transparent and clear regulatory framework that will create an attractive environment for investments and enable at the same time the development of innovative solutions to the benefit of consumers.
The RAAC members approved the Workplan for the next months to come in connection to the “Long-term Strategy” of EMGF that targets to unlock the East Mediterranean gas potential for the benefit of the consumers and the activities’ timeline. A RAAC Position Paper was also approved to enhance the necessity of a harmonized regulatory gas framework in the East Med Region to support market development and integration.
RAAC Members also shared an overview of the regulatory frameworks currently in place in each of the EMGF member countries and discussed on the progress of a report aiming at identifying and classifying all the challenges related to the development of cross-border interconnection projects.
RAAC Members agreed to convene the next RAAC meeting in Cairo in July 2023, back-to-back with the Ministerial Meeting of EMGF.
The Vice-Chairman of RAAC Dr. Andreas Poullikkas stressed the importance of RAAC to continue serving as a cooperation platform for creating a structured dialogue on gas as well as formulating joint strategies and regional gas policies based on shared vision.
In light of the numerous important natural gas discoveries experienced in the Eastern Mediterranean region over the past ten years, the East Mediterranean Gas Forum “EMGF” was founded in September 2020 and since then it has progressively evolved into the most renowned Energy Forum in the Mediterranean region. The EMGF Member Countries are currently Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, and Palestine; and its observers are the United States, the European Union, and the World Bank. To facilitate the participation of the respective Energy and Natural Gas Regulatory Authorities of each EMGF member to share their experience contributing to the harmonization of regulations and policies of gas trade and supply on the regional level, the Regulatory Authority Advisory Committee (“RAAC”) has been established under the umbrella of EMGF.
Nicosia 17th of May 2023