Co-funded by the European Union
UfM Gas Platform
About
To address energy challenges by reinforcing energy cooperation with neighbouring countries/region has always been high on the EU agenda. Therefore, to deepen energy cooperation between the EU and South and East Mediterranean countries, three regional energy platforms were launched in 2015 and 2016; the UfM Gas Platform, the UfM Regional Electricity Market (REM) Platform and the UfM Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Platform.
The UfM Gas Platform aims at establishing a regional structured dialogue allowing the gradual development of a Euro-Mediterranean gas market to promote security, transparency and predictability of both demand and supply in a manner that correctly and fairly should balance the interest of producing and consuming countries and should provide the basis of the long-term secure development of the abundant resources in the region.
Background
On 11 July 2014, in Malta, at the High Level Euro-Mediterranean Conference on “The role of gas developments in the Mediterranean region”, and on 19 November 2014, in Rome, at the High Level Conference on “Building a Euro-Mediterranean energy bridge: the strategic importance of Euro-Med gas and electricity networks in the content of energy security”, EU Energy Ministers, Ministers of Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries, and the European Commission confirmed the importance of regional energy cooperation for ensuring secure, affordable and sustainable energy for the region and beyond. They also agreed that further strengthening regional cooperation in the Mediterranean on natural gas is required in order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose/intention and decided to establish a platform on gas. The Mediterranean Energy Observatory (OME, now OMEC) was appointed as Secretariat of this Platform.
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Senior Officials Meeting of 31 March 2015 in Brussels agreed to frame Energy cooperation at large of all the 43 UfM Members on the basis of this platform on gas, as well as on two other platforms (on electricity and on renewable energy and energy efficiency).
On 6 May 2015, in Rabat, EU Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete and the Moroccan Minister for Energy, Mr. Abdelkader Amara, unveiled three new Euro-Mediterranean platforms on gas, regional electricity market, and renewables and energy efficiency in the presence of the Presidents of OME, the Association of Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG), the Association of the Mediterranean Transmission System Operators (MED-TSO) and MEDGRID project.
On 11 June 2015, in Brussels, the UfM Gas Platform was officially announced and draft final Terms of Reference of the Platform was presented. The objective of the platform is to enhance the cooperation in the Euro-Med region between all stakeholders of the gas chain, and through a bottom-up approach to improve gas security by identifying barriers or opportunities.
The UfM Regional Electricity Market Platform (UfM REM Platform) and the UfM Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Platform (UfM REEE Platform) were officially launched on 12 October 2015 and 14 November 2016 respectively.
On 1 December 2016, in Rome, at the UfM Ministerial Meeting on Energy, the two-year work programmes of the three UfM Energy Platforms were endorsed. And Ministers in charge of energy called for a coherent regional and inclusive approach across the three platforms.
Objectives
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Gas Platform aims at establishing a regional structured dialogue allowing the gradual development of a Euro-Mediterranean gas market to promote security, transparency and predictability of both demand and supply in a manner that correctly and fairly should balance the interest of producing and consuming countries and should provide the basis of the long-term secure development of the abundant resources in the region.
The UfM Gas Platform, developed in the framework of the Barcelona process and the Union for the Mediterranean, respects all the latter’s principles.
In order to achieve this, the UfM Gas Platform considers :
- The status of national and regional gas markets,
- Upstream, mid-stream and downstream activities and the associated investments to face the regional demand for gas,
- Taking into consideration demand and supply security principles, and feasible and viable options for gas transmission to the markets where it is needed,
- The potential role of possible Mediterranean Gas Hubs.
Organisation
The work of the UfM Gas Platform is facilitated by the following bodies :
- Steering Committee : The Platform’s activities is coordinated by a Steering Committee composed of the UfM co-presidency, the Secretariats of the three platforms and the animators of the Working Groups. At the meetings of the Steering Committee Government representatives of UfM Members are invited to participate.
- Secretariat : The “Organisation Méditerranéenne de l’Energie et du Climat” (OMEC) runs the Platform’s secretariat in close coordination with the UfM co-presidency. The Secretariat reports to the Platform Steering Committee and governing body and is responsible for the day-to-day coordination of the Platform activities. The Secretariat assures the smooth implementation of the work programme, including the organisation of meetings and events, and progress reports, as well as the supervision of the deliverables to be submitted to the Steering Committee and Platform governing body. In addition, the Secretariat is responsible for implementing the communication activities of the Platform. It is also the main interface between stakeholders and the working groups and the Steering Committee.
- Working Groups : If appropriate, the Platform may be supported by one or more working groups on specific relevant themes. Each working group appoints an animator. The working groups work in close cooperation with the Platform Secretariat, under coordination of the Steering Committee. The working groups are open to all Government representatives of the UfM Members and other relevant stakeholders.
The Platform meets at least once a year and is the governing body. Decisions of the Platform are taken by UfM Members States by consensus. The Platform is responsible for approving its work plan.
The Platform meetings are co-chaired by the UfM co-presidencies and by the Representative of the country hosting the meeting. Platform meetings are open to:
- representatives of the UfM Member States ;
- the UfM co-presidencies and the UfM Secretariat ;
- representatives of public and private stakeholders, such as regulatory authorities, gas transmission systems operators, appropriate networks or associations, private sector actors, project promoters, financial institutions and any other relevant stakeholders.
The UfM Gas Platform may also decide to invite additional representatives or independent experts to some of the platform meetings.
Programme of Work
In the first 2017-2019 period, the attention of the UfM Gas Platform has been rather on macro level – covering main subjects such as supply-demand, regulation, infrastructure, LNG and gas hubs. During the following 2020-2022 period, a more focused approach has been envisaged with the overarching goal of a better integration of energy systems in the Mediterranean region while fostering energy transition. This has necessitated focusing on the emerging trends, technologies and applications that will not only have significant impact on the Mediterranean gas future but will also shape the future policy orientation.
For the next program covering the period 2023-2025, the action was designed to support the successful implementation of the last UfM Joint Ministerial Declaration (14 June 2021) to address the region’s energy challenges and its roadmap.
UfM Member States reaffirmed in the Declaration the need and willingness to join efforts for a just and fair transition towards circular, low emissions, inclusive, resilient, sustainable resource and energy efficient economies and societies, by taking into account national circumstances. To this end the present action identified a series of key themes to be covered in the future work programme of the UfM Gas Platform.
– Mediterranean Energy Scenarios;
– Role of gases fuel and hydrogen in the Mediterranean area;
– Enhance renewable energy integration;
– The role of gas in Mediterranean energy transition and supply security;
– Offshore (marine) renewable energies in the Mediterranean.
As was the case in previous years, working groups with relevant stakeholders will be established. Dedicated technical meetings, workshops and training sessions related to the studies will be organized by the OMEC, as UfM Gas Platform Secretariat, to support this work programme.
Other UfM Platforms
Launched on 12 October 2015, in Rabat, the UfM Regional Electricity Market Platform (UfM REM Platform) aims at the progressive integration of energy systems and energy markets in the UfM region.
Firstly, the platform will focus on integrating countries on the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean. In the medium to long term, the platform then envisages integrating these markets with the EU countries.
The overall goal is to achieve a regional electricity market in which electricity can be exchanged across borders without physical, technical or regulatory barriers.
Launched on 14 November 2016, at the COP22 climate summit in Marrakesh, the UfM Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Platform (UfM REEE Platform) aims to promote the progressive deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.
The platform will also identify and implement joint initiatives, and promote the growth of renewables and energy efficiency measures in order to foster socio-economic development, contribute to ensure that all citizens and businesses of the region have access to secure, affordable and reliable modern energy services, as well as to support mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
See also UfM dedicated webpage at: https://ufmsecretariat.org/ufm-energy-platforms/
Members
The Organisation Méditerranéenne de l’Energie et du Climat (OMEC), as Secretariat of the UfM Gas Platform, supports the European Commission by providing technical assistance in the operation and the execution of a number of (secretarial) activities of the platform.
All UfM Members and stakeholders that have an interest in the Euro-Mediterranean region can participate in the work of the UfM Gas Platform.
Chairs and Secretariat
UfM
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is an intergovernmental organisation bringing together the 28 European Union Member States and 15 countries from the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean. It provides a unique forum to enhance regional cooperation and dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Recognising the importance of addressing energy challenges in the Mediterranean region by reinforcing cooperation, the UfM SOM of March 2015 approved the establishment of three UfM high-level Energy Platforms.
website: http://ufmsecretariat.org/
European Commission
The European Union’s energy policies are driven by three main objectives: secure, competitive, and sustainable energy.
As well as EU countries, countries of the southern and eastern Mediterranean share those common goals. That is why the EC is committed to the three regional platforms that aim to deepen energy cooperation between all stakeholders of the region.
website : https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en
OMEC
Created in 1988, the Mediterranean Organisation for Energy and Climate (OMEC, formerly OME) is a non-profit association, which gathers the leading energy companies operating in the Mediterranean region.
Since its inception, OMEC is committed to promote energy dialogue in the Mediterranean region to strengthen regional cooperation and favor socio-economic development.
Building on this long experience, in particular in the gas sector, OMEC has been appointed as Secretariat of the UfM Gas Platform.
website : http://www.omec-med.org/