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Strategy Group

The world of energy is undergoing significant changes. Governments and market participants more then ever face the need to develop adequate responses to the multiple challenges facing the energy sector. As any other international arrangement, the framework which the Energy Charter established to promote long-term cooperation in the energy field needs to ascertain that its rules and instruments live up to contemporary requirements.

Since 2007, the members of the Energy Charter Conference have used the temporary forum provided by the Ad Hoc Strategy Group to discuss new challenges in the energy sector and possible responses within the Energy Charter Process. In particular, they have started discussing the global balance between producers and consumers of energy, the increasing role of cross-border trade and transit of energy, the huge investment needs, the increasing importance of measures to promote energy efficiency or the impact of measures to mitigate global climate change on the energy sector, with a specific focus on the role of the Energy Charter Process.

The Charter's Strategy Group

At its meeting in Rome on 9 December 2009, the Energy Charter Conference decided to establish the Energy Charter Strategy Group. In doing so, the Conference responded to interest shown by member states to have a permanent forum to discuss matters such as policy, strategy, new challenges in the energy sector, and horizontal issues.

The Group serves as a forum for discussion on issues framed in the Rome Statement, such as fostering the acceptance and implementation of the Energy Charter Treaty and the development of the entire Energy Charter Process, identifying ways to improve their effectiveness and examining possible options as to how the Energy Charter Process could be modernised.

Modernisation

The Strategy Group at its meeting on 19-20 October 2017 approved:

  • to start discussions on the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty and to include it into the Programme of Work for 2018-2019,
  • to have open consultation with the industry and Observers,
  • to create a subgroup to conduct such discussions and to keep the proposed deadline of the 2019 review.

The Energy Charter Conference at its 28th Meeting held on 28-29 November 2017 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, approved the timeline for the discussion on modernisation during 2018 and the document to be used for the open consultation with Observers and the industry (see Conference Decision CCDEC201723).

The Energy Charter Conference at its 29th meeting held on 27-28 November 2018 in Bucharest, Romania approved the list of topics for modernisation of the ECT (see Conference Decision CCDEC201818).

On 11 September 2019, the Strategy Group acknowledged the successful completion of the discussions on the potential modernisation of the ECT carried out by the Subgroup on modernisation, thanked the Chair and Co-Chair of the Subgroup as well as the Secretariat, and decided to dissolve the Subgroup.

The Energy Charter Conference on 6 October 2019 approved some suggested policy options for modernisation of the ECT (see Conference Decision CCDEC201908).

On 6 November 2019, the Energy Charter Conference established and mandated the Modernisation Group to start negotiations with a view to conclude negotiations expeditiously and invited the Group to report to the next meeting of the Conference on progress made in fulfilling the negotiations mandate (see Conference Decision CCDEC201910). The Conference also agreed on some procedural Issues and Timeline for the negotiations.

The Astana Declaration

At its 25th Meeting held on 26 November 2014 in Astana, the Energy Charter Conference confirmed the Conclusions of the Review conducted under Article 34(7) of the Energy Charter Treaty and adopted the Astana Declaration of the Energy Charter Process as a strategic orientation for the work of the subsidiary bodies of the Conference and the Secretariat towards 2019 in order for the Energy Charter Treaty to remain an important legal instrument within the global energy architecture.

The Astana Declaration for Global Energy Architecture (2015-2019)

Conclusions of the Review conducted under Article 34(7)

International Energy Charter

The International Energy Charter is a political declaration mapping out common principles for international cooperation and common areas of cooperation in the field of energy. The term "International Energy Charter" refers to the fact that the text of the new declaration is being worked out on the basis of the European Energy Charter of 1991.

The adoption and signing of the International Energy Charter took place at a High-Level (Ministerial) Conference hosted by The Netherlands in The Hague on 20-21 May 2015. It is a milestone for the Energy Charter Process, its expansion and modernisation. The process is part of the ambition of the Energy Charter to become a leading organisation of future global energy governance.

The Tokyo Declaration

At its 27th Meeting held on 25 November 2016 in Tokyo, the Energy Charter Conference adopted the Tokyo Declaration on the Energy Charter with attendance of 68 countries and 9 international organisations, including 33 ministerial-level participants.

It welcomed the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the Energy Charter Process and acknowledged that:

  • the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) has become even more important as an instrument to provide a sound legal basis for ensuring and promoting stable and sustained investment in the energy sector. 
  • promoting the development and improvement of a favorable investment climate in the energy sector under the framework of the ECT and the International Energy Charter contributes to stable energy supply, energy access, increased use of clean energy and the further promotion of energy efficiency.
  • the ECT has the great potential to further contribute to promoting sustainable energy at global level and to strengthening global energy security by extending the application of its legal framework to an increasing number of the countries.

The Tokyo Declaration on the Energy Charter

The Ashgabat Declaration

At its 28th Meeting held on 28-29 November 2017 in Ashgabat, the Energy Charter Conference adopted the Ashgabat Declaration on the Energy Charter (in English and Russian) with attendance of 52 countries and 10 international organisations.

The Declaration acknowledges the importance of the modernisation of the Energy Charter Process in order to strengthen long-term co-operation in the energy field and contribute to enhancing energy security. The Energy Charter Process should reflect new developments and challenges in international energy markets by addressing the following five strategic areas:

  • Facilitating investment, preventing and managing investment related disputes;
  • Continuing to broaden and deepen membership of the Energy Charter Treaty;
  • Improving energy security through strengthened international cooperation to guarantee energy transit and facilitate trade;
  • Promoting regional energy cooperation on the basis of the principles of the International Energy Charter and Energy Charter Treaty;
  • Modernising the Energy Charter Process.

The Bucharest Declaration

The Energy Charter Conference adopted the Bucharest Declaration at its 29th Meeting held on 27-28 November 2018 under the chairmanship of Romania. The Conference was attended by delegates from over 50 countries and delegations from different regions of the world. The Bucharest Energy Charter Declaration will serve as a strategic document leading up to the next review which will be undertaken in 2019, in accordance with Article 34(7) of the Energy Charter Treaty

The Declaration reiterates the commitments to the Energy Charter Treaty as well as the principles of the 2015 International Energy Charter, and focuses on the following topics:

  • Modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty,
  • Mitigating investment risks by assessing the policy, legal and regulatory environment
  • Combating Energy Poverty by encouraging investments in energy efficiency
  • Increasing energy security by developing international cooperation and innovation aimed to ensure the development of integrated energy markets
  • Improving the security and reliability of cross-border energy flows
  • Enlargement of the Energy Charter Treaty membership

Bucharest Energy Charter Declaration - English

Bucharest Energy Charter Declaration - Russian

Strategy Group Chairpersons

Chair: Mr Elshan Abdulazimov (Azerbaijan)

Vice-Chair: Vacant

Vice-Chair: Vacant