INOGATE
Encyclopedia
INOGATE is an international energy co-operation programme between the European Union
(EU), Turkey
and countries of the NIS
, with the exceptions of the Baltic States
and the Russian Federation. Formally it describes itself as supporting "international cooperation between the European Union, the littoral
states of the Black
& Caspian
Seas and their neighbouring countries". It is assisted, via the EU's EuropeAid programme, by a secretariat based in Kiev
, Ukraine, with a regional office in Tbilisi
, Georgia.
to the EU. In 2001, a formal 'Umbrella Agreement' was signed by twenty one countries in Kiev, to cooperate on pipeline development and enhancement - at that time the priorities were the Druzhba
pipeline and extension of the Odessa-Brody pipeline. Following conferences in Baku
, Azerbaijan in 2004 and in Astana
, Kazakhstan, INOGATE has since evolved into a broader energy partnership between the EU and countries of the former Soviet Union, (excluding the Russian Federation and the Baltic States, but including Turkey), and concentrating on four key topics:
The programme has been described as aiming to 'promote European investment in Caspian Sea and Central Asia states in return for their energy cooperation with the EU member states'. Another commentator has opined that 'Inogate, ... will help the region diversify supply sources and prevent Russian firms from carving out dominant downstream positions'. It has been compared to American initiatives to establish a significant energy presence in the region.
Since 2007, the INOGATE programme has been financed by the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI).
Turkey is an INOGATE Partner Country and is, therefore, regularly invited to attend INOGATE meetings but it is not a beneficiary country.
The INOGATE programme is a joint initiative of three directorates
of the European Commission
: the Directorate-General for Transport & Energy
; the Directorate-General for External Relations
; and the EuropeAid Cooperation Office.
resulted from a policy dialogue on energy cooperation between the European Union
and the INOGATE partner countries. The initiative was announced on 13 November 2004 at the Energy Ministerial Conference in Baku
. A second Ministerial Conference was held in Astana
on 30 November 2006 which confirmed the broader remit of the INOGATE programme to cover a range of energy issues in the Partner Countries and their cooperation in these issues with the EU.
One objective of the Baku Initiative is to enhance integration of the energy markets of participating countries with the EU energy market
, so as to create transparent energy markets, capable of attracting investment and enhancing security of energy supply. (Other aspects of the Initiative were concerned with transport issues: see main article
). The partner countries agreed objectives to harmonise legal and technical standards so as to create a functioning integrated energy market in accordance with EU and international legal and regulatory frameworks; to increase the safety and security of energy supplies by extending and modernising existing infrastructure, substituting outdated power generation infrastructures with environmentally-friendly systems; the development of new infrastructures and implementation of modern monitoring systems; improvement of energy supply and demand management through the integration of efficient and sustainable energy systems; and promotion of the financing of commercially and environmentally viable energy projects of common interest. A 'road-map' towards achievement of these and allied objectives was adopted at the Astana Ministerial Conference.
. From 2011/12, the Secretariat is to be expanded to include direct provision of technical assistance to member countries.
The Baku Initiative is implemented through the four working groups, each of which contains members from all partner countries:
A number of specific projects, financed by the ENPI, are associated with the INOGATE programme, and are listed at the INOGATE webportal. As at February 2009, these projects included initiatives to improve safety and security of oil and gas transit structures, to develop coordinated national energy policies in Central Asia, and to support market integration and sustainable energy initiatives in partner countries.
INOGATE has been closely involved with the development of the Eastern European Regional Centre for Hydrocarbon Metrology in Boyarka, Ukraine, which 'provides state-of-the-art calibration services for gas transfer within the region and to other countries'. This should form an important element in the development of a regional energy market operating to Western European standards.
The INOGATE programme has an ongoing schedule of conferences and publications. Its webportal contains regularly updated information and news on energy developments in partner countries and relevant EU initiatives and policies.
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU), Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and countries of the NIS
Post-Soviet states
The post-Soviet states, also commonly known as the Former Soviet Union or former Soviet republics, are the 15 independent states that split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in its dissolution in December 1991...
, with the exceptions of the Baltic States
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
and the Russian Federation. Formally it describes itself as supporting "international cooperation between the European Union, the littoral
Littoral
The littoral zone is that part of a sea, lake or river that is close to the shore. In coastal environments the littoral zone extends from the high water mark, which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged. It always includes this intertidal zone and is often used to...
states of the Black
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
& Caspian
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
Seas and their neighbouring countries". It is assisted, via the EU's EuropeAid programme, by a secretariat based in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine, with a regional office in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, Georgia.
Origins
INOGATE originated in 1995 as an EU support mechanism dealing with INterstate Oil and GAs Transportation to Europe (whence it derived its name as an acronym). It was particularly concerned initially with oil and gas pipelines running from and through Eastern Europe and the CaucasusCaucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
to the EU. In 2001, a formal 'Umbrella Agreement' was signed by twenty one countries in Kiev, to cooperate on pipeline development and enhancement - at that time the priorities were the Druzhba
Druzhba
Druzhba may refer to:*1621 Druzhba, an asteroid*Druzhba pipeline, the world's longest oil pipeline stretching from Central Russia to Central Europe...
pipeline and extension of the Odessa-Brody pipeline. Following conferences in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Azerbaijan in 2004 and in Astana
Astana
Astana , formerly known as Akmola , Tselinograd and Akmolinsk , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010...
, Kazakhstan, INOGATE has since evolved into a broader energy partnership between the EU and countries of the former Soviet Union, (excluding the Russian Federation and the Baltic States, but including Turkey), and concentrating on four key topics:
- enhancing energy securityEnergy securityEnergy security is a term for an association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led...
- convergence of member state energy marketEnergy marketEnergy markets are those commodities markets that deal specifically with the trade and supply of energy. Energy market may refer to an electricity market, but can also refer to other sources of energy...
s on the basis of EU internal energy market principles - supporting sustainable energySustainable energySustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources include all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal...
development - attracting investment for energy projects of common and regional interest.
The programme has been described as aiming to 'promote European investment in Caspian Sea and Central Asia states in return for their energy cooperation with the EU member states'. Another commentator has opined that 'Inogate, ... will help the region diversify supply sources and prevent Russian firms from carving out dominant downstream positions'. It has been compared to American initiatives to establish a significant energy presence in the region.
Since 2007, the INOGATE programme has been financed by the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI).
Partner countries
The INOGATE partner countries are:Turkey is an INOGATE Partner Country and is, therefore, regularly invited to attend INOGATE meetings but it is not a beneficiary country.
The INOGATE programme is a joint initiative of three directorates
Directorate-General
A Directorate-General is a branch of an administration dedicated to a specific field of expertise.* The European Commission: Commission Directorates-General are each headed by a European Commissioner;* The European Patent Office: EPO Directorates-General;...
of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
: the Directorate-General for Transport & Energy
Directorate-General for Transport and Energy (European Commission)
The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport is a Directorate-General of the European Commission responsible for transport within the European Union.DG MOVE was created on 17 February 2010 when energy was split from it to form the new DG Ener...
; the Directorate-General for External Relations
Directorate-General for External Relations (European Commission)
The Directorate-General for the External Relations was a Directorate-General of the European Commission, responsible for the external policy...
; and the EuropeAid Cooperation Office.
The Baku Initiative and the Astana Declaration
The Baku InitiativeBaku Initiative
The Baku Initiative is an international initiative of the European Union. It is a policy dialogue on energy and transport cooperation between the European Union and the littoral states of the Black Sea, Caspian Sea and their neighbours, undertaken as part of the INOGATE energy and TRACECA...
resulted from a policy dialogue on energy cooperation between the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and the INOGATE partner countries. The initiative was announced on 13 November 2004 at the Energy Ministerial Conference in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. A second Ministerial Conference was held in Astana
Astana
Astana , formerly known as Akmola , Tselinograd and Akmolinsk , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010...
on 30 November 2006 which confirmed the broader remit of the INOGATE programme to cover a range of energy issues in the Partner Countries and their cooperation in these issues with the EU.
One objective of the Baku Initiative is to enhance integration of the energy markets of participating countries with the EU energy market
Energy market
Energy markets are those commodities markets that deal specifically with the trade and supply of energy. Energy market may refer to an electricity market, but can also refer to other sources of energy...
, so as to create transparent energy markets, capable of attracting investment and enhancing security of energy supply. (Other aspects of the Initiative were concerned with transport issues: see main article
Baku Initiative
The Baku Initiative is an international initiative of the European Union. It is a policy dialogue on energy and transport cooperation between the European Union and the littoral states of the Black Sea, Caspian Sea and their neighbours, undertaken as part of the INOGATE energy and TRACECA...
). The partner countries agreed objectives to harmonise legal and technical standards so as to create a functioning integrated energy market in accordance with EU and international legal and regulatory frameworks; to increase the safety and security of energy supplies by extending and modernising existing infrastructure, substituting outdated power generation infrastructures with environmentally-friendly systems; the development of new infrastructures and implementation of modern monitoring systems; improvement of energy supply and demand management through the integration of efficient and sustainable energy systems; and promotion of the financing of commercially and environmentally viable energy projects of common interest. A 'road-map' towards achievement of these and allied objectives was adopted at the Astana Ministerial Conference.
Structure and activities
The coordinating body of the Baku Initiative is the INOGATE Technical Secretariat, which is located in KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. From 2011/12, the Secretariat is to be expanded to include direct provision of technical assistance to member countries.
The Baku Initiative is implemented through the four working groups, each of which contains members from all partner countries:
- Harmonisation of Legal, Regulatory and Institutional framework for market liberalisation
- Enhancing Safety and Security of Energy Transportation Networks
- Sustainable development
- Investment Attraction and Project Facilitation
A number of specific projects, financed by the ENPI, are associated with the INOGATE programme, and are listed at the INOGATE webportal. As at February 2009, these projects included initiatives to improve safety and security of oil and gas transit structures, to develop coordinated national energy policies in Central Asia, and to support market integration and sustainable energy initiatives in partner countries.
INOGATE has been closely involved with the development of the Eastern European Regional Centre for Hydrocarbon Metrology in Boyarka, Ukraine, which 'provides state-of-the-art calibration services for gas transfer within the region and to other countries'. This should form an important element in the development of a regional energy market operating to Western European standards.
The INOGATE programme has an ongoing schedule of conferences and publications. Its webportal contains regularly updated information and news on energy developments in partner countries and relevant EU initiatives and policies.
See also
- Energy CommunityEnergy CommunityThe Energy Community is a community established between the European Union and a number of third countries in order to extend the EU internal energy market to Southeast Europe and beyond...
- Energy policy of the European UnionEnergy policy of the European UnionAlthough the European Union has legislated in the area of energy policy for many years, and evolved out of the European Coal and Steel Community, the concept of introducing a mandatory and comprehensive European energy policy was only approved at the meeting of the European Council on 27 October...
- Energy Charter TreatyEnergy Charter TreatyThe Energy Charter Treaty is an international agreement which provides a multilateral framework for energy trade, transit and investments...
Sources
- ENPI-Info Web site of the EU Neighbourhood Partnership Initiative
- Democratic Belarus website
- Today.AZ website, Azerbaijan
- ADE, Evaluation of the European Commission’s Cooperation with Ukraine, 2010. Downloadable from OECD website in PDF format. Consulted 4.8.2011.
- Baghat, Gadat G., 'EU seeks energy security in stronger supplier ties', in Oil and Gas Journal, vol. 103, issue 38, 10 October 2005, pp. 22–26
- Berenyi, Ivan, 'The Battle for market share', in Petroleum Economist, September 2003, p. 1
- Boyarka Metrology Centre Brochure, downloadable as PDF (consulted 4.11.2011).
External links
- INOGATE web site
- Baku Initiative European Commission DG Transport and Energy
- Ministerial Declaration on Enhanced energy co-operation between the EU, the Littoral States of the Black and Caspian Seas and their neighbouring countries, 30 November 2006, Astana