The Maltese Regulator for Energy and Water Services (REWS) kindly hosted the 21st General Assembly (GA) meeting of the Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG) in St. Julian’s, Malta. The 21st MEDREG GA has welcomed several achievements that go in the direction of new partnerships for integrating Mediterranean energy policies and lay the foundation for further energy regulatory cooperation activities.

MEDREG contribution to the Egyptian Gas market reform
The 21st MEDREG GA has approved the membership request  presented by the new Egyptian Gas Regulator to become the 25th Member of MEDREG. Since its beginning, MEDREG played a significant role in supporting this new institution, through its Gas Working Group and the expertise provided to the workshop held on 4 April 2016 in Cairo. In line with its Strategy 2020-2030, MEDREG is committed to support the development of competitive and transparent gas markets in member countries. Therefore MEDREG confirmed its commitment to assist the new Egyptian gas regulator through trainings, capacity building activities and support in the initial drafting of Egyptian secondary legislation for the gas sector.

Positive start for the MEDREG Financial Advisory Panel on Energy Regulation
MEDREG launched a dialogue with selected representatives of the international financial institutions including the World Bank (WB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Investment Fund for Infrastructures in the Mediterranean Region (INFRAMED). The aim of this ambitious project is to discuss the impact of regulatory changes on financing decisions in order to increase the market awareness on investment opportunities, provide financial expertise with regard to the funding of infrastructure projects and promote a more efficient market for infrastructures.

Exchanges of information and expertise among regulatory associations
MEDREG and CEER held their 2nd joint round-table on regulatory challenges in European and Mediterranean energy markets on 19 May in Malta, bringing their different perspectives and ideas on several hot issues. Through this joint activity, MEDREG and CEER aim at exchanging information and expertise in order to improve the regional integration of energy markets. MEDREG presented the outcomes of four relevant topics that it has recently studied within its Working Groups, such as the role regulators play in balancing the markets, generation with a focus on RES-generated electricity, quality of supply in the distribution segment of electricity markets and the security of supply for the gas markets. CEER continues to represent a positive institutional model of governance for MEDREG since the European energy regulators in the past faced challenges that are similar to those currently taking place in the Mediterranean region.  For this reason, this exchange between CEER and MEDREG has been highly beneficial for the work performed by both organizations, paving the way to further collaboration.

Strengthening the dialogue with external partners
The General Assembly raised the importance of the dialogue with external partners. An open session moderated by MEDREG President Hatem Waheed, welcomed  representatives of international organizations and industrial associations, i.e., the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), the Mediterranean Transmission System Operators (Med-TSO). The meeting has been the occasion also to announce the signature of the Cooperation Protocol between MEDREG and ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) foreseen for fall 2016. The agreement will enhance the bilateral collaboration between the two organizations in order to develop common activities and deepen institutional relations and technical exchanges to reinforce their position, mission and expertise.
This session confirmed the concrete interest of the main energy actors of the Mediterranean basin in working together with MEDREG to favor cooperation among governments, parliaments, transmission system operators, market actors and energy regulators.

From the right: Mr. Santos (MEDREG Vice -President), Dr. El-Salmawy (MEDREG President), Mr. Carbone (MEDREG Vice -President), Mr. Tambone (MEDREG General Coordinator), Mr. Di Gaetano (Co-Chair MEDREG INS WG), Mr. Van Steen (Head of Unit, DG Energy-EC), Mr. Ristori (Director General,DG Energy-EC), Ms. Bournoville (Senior Expert for the International Relations, Assistant to the Director General DG Energy-EC)

MEDREG participated to the launch and to the first meeting of the UfM Regional Electricity Market (REM) Platform on 12 October in Rabat.

The platform aims to progressively integrate electricity networks and markets of the UfM countries starting from the countries of the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean and secondly integrating these markets with the EU countries. During the event, MEDREG and Med-TSO presented their common view for the electricity market development in the Mediterranean region.

On the same day MEDREG Board met with two relevant partners: the Moroccan Minister of Energy Amara to highlight the importance of creating an independent energy regulator in Morocco starting from 2016; and the Director General of the DG Energy (EC) to underline the interest of the Association for further increasing high-level institutional cooperation between the European Commission and MEDREG.

The Mediterranean region is currently lacking a harmonized and coordinated legal framework able to foster international energy cooperation. In order to promote the integration of Mediterranean energy markets, the European Commission came up with several proposals, in the perspective of the establishment of an EU-Southern Mediterranean energy community. This long term process will require the active involvement of all the concerned actors (political, economic, and regulatory) to pull and work together in the same direction.
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