The future of energy cooperation in the Mediterranean was highlighted at the conference that was entitled "MEDREG Support to Energy Regulatory Reforms in the Southern Mediterranean", which took place on September 19, 2019 in Brussels. During this one-day event, the Mediterranean Regulators' Association (MEDREG) shared some of the successes of the last two years in the field of energy, through the voices and testimonies of six member regulators: Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Israel.
During his speech, Mr. Abdellatif BARDACH presented to the participants the conditions in which the National Electricity Regulatory Authority (ANRE), which he chairs, was born. According to him, the country has established an independent regulatory entity not only to respond to the profound changes that the renewable energy sector in Morocco is undergoing but also to increase the attractiveness of this sector for national and foreign private investors.
The event was also attended by a diverse group of energy experts, journalists, members of the private sector, public utilities representatives and European institutions delegates, all sharing the same interest, that of promoting a common energy future for the Euro-Mediterranean region.
This one-day event was marked by the intervention of representatives of the European Commission such as Ms Ingrid Schwaiger, Deputy Head of Unit, Regional Programs Neighbourhood South (DG NEAR), who confirmed that European interests in economic development and technical convergence do indeed coincide with those of the Commission and the Mediterranean neighbors. Ms Schwaiger stated that MEDREG’s action was essential for future relations with the Mediterranean neighbors and for achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
With this in prospect, MEDREG would have, once again, established itself as a platform for technical collaboration by developing tailor-made actions for each national context and providing tools to address common challenges affecting the Mediterranean region.
The President of MEDREG, Ms. Gülefsan Demirbas concluded the meeting by emphasizing that the conference offered a unique opportunity for dialogue to many Mediterranean energy development actors and that MEDREG was in favour of the establishment of a fruitful cooperation climate in the region.
She also indicated that, over the next three years and at the request of its members, MEDREG will continue its personalized support to the countries of the South through information exchange, study visits and regulators training. This support will focus on: the development of electricity design markets, the unbundling of vertically integrated companies, the role of off-grid networks, as well as on consumer issues and the next age of electricity storage.
