European Commission launches energy security campaign in central eastern European cities

Emphasized by the conflict in Ukraine, energy security has been dominating the EU agenda for quite some time now, with the European Commission adopting last May a strategic paper charting the way forward to secure the continent’s security of supplies. One key element of this strategy is the ‘accelerated implementation’ of local action plans adopted in the framework of the Covenant of Mayors. To contribute to the progression of this objective, the European Commission has launched a campaign to raise awareness of energy security priorities in the Covenant signatory cities, particularly in the most vulnerable member states from central and eastern Europe. 

Central conference in Brussels

Serving as an introductory event to the campaign, the Commission hosted on 9 October a high level conference in Brussels, attended by senior decision makers including its then Vice President in charge of Energy Günther Oettinger, the Committee of the Regions President Michel Lebrun and President of the European Parliament’s industry committee Jerzy Buzek. This central Brussels event sought the testimonies of cities from the most ‘energy vulnerable’ Member States , which depend 100% on Russia for their gas supplies.

The Deputy Mayors of Riga, Helsinki and Estonia’s second largest city Tartu were among the invited speakers, presenting how measures from their Covenant of Mayors Sustainable Energy Action Plans contribute to reduced reliance on Russian gas and increased decentralization of energy systems.

‘Satellite’ events in Riga, Litoměřice and Bratislava

A few weeks prior to the Brussels event, a conference held on 11 September in Latvia set the tone for the energy security campaign. Co-organised by the Latvian Environmental Investment Fund, it was divided in three sessions presenting how local Sustainable Energy Action Plans, energy efficiency in buildings and access to finance can fast track energy self-sufficiency in the region.

End of October, a similar event was organised in Litoměřice, Czech Republic, under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. With the theme 'Energy for Cities in the 21st Century', the conference targeted local authorities, regions and their partners interested in “strategic energy planning with a long term vision”.

The next event of the campaign will be hosted by the Slovak Capital Bratislava on 23-25 November, under the patronage of the Minister of Economy Mr Pavol Pavlis.

In the 6 Member States most vulnerable to Russian gas disruptions, cities participating in the Covenant of Mayors initiative have planned to invest €8.5 billion in the implementation of sustainable energy policies. According to the European Commission, these investments alone could reduce reliance on foreign gas by 58%.

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