Energy Community: Serbia Leading Energy Transition, Followed by Montenegro and Ukraine

In this year’s Annual Implementation Report of the Energy Community, Serbia emerged as the top performer, followed by Montenegro and Ukraine.

As the most important factors that contributed to the progress, the report highlights the adoption of the amendments to the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources, the conducting of the inaugural auction for market premiums and the preparation of the draft Integrated Energy and Climate Plan.

As said, Serbia made progress with the revised Energy Law, creating the conditions for the compliant unbundling of the electricity and gas transmission system operators. It is also leading the way when it comes to decarbonization, according to the Annual Implementation Report, which tracks the performance of the contracting parties in implementing the regulations of the Energy Community in the period between November 2022 and October 2023.

– Amendments to the Serbian Energy Law as of July 2023 allow for the compliant unbundling of the electricity and gas transmission system operators The intraday electricity market was launched in July 2023. Serbia should focus on the transposition and implementation of the Electricity Integration Package as a precondition for the coupling of its short-term markets. Serbia should certify the gas transmission and storage operators, grant third party access at the interconnection points, and remove any other obstacles to new market entrants – the report says.

Serbia, it is added, submitted its draft NECP within the prescribed deadline and adopted its long-term strategies on low-emission development building renovation strategy, says the Energy Community, whose entire report can be viewed at this link.

– Serbia should adopt the final NECP in line with the Recommendations provided by the Secretariat – it is said.

Serbia made moderate progress in the area of environment.

Environmental impact assessments are still not regulated in a compliant manner, which should be addressed without further delay, the Energy Community recommends.

– Integrating with the European Union necessarily means endorsing the European Green Deal. And in fact, the transformation has gained ground in the Contracting Parties. We see reforms being rewarded by investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency – said Energy Community Deputy Director Dirk Buschle.

Energy Community

Dirk Buschle

energy transition

Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources

conducting auction for market premiums

preparation of draft Integrated Energy and Climate Plan

decarbonization