Energy policy in South East Europe

This chapter on energy policy assesses the policy settings, strategies, processes, and institutions in six South East European economies. After a brief overview of energy trends and performance in South East Europe, including the reliability of energy supplies, energy intensity and trends in prices, the chapter then focuses on four essential sub-dimensions. The first, governance and regulation, examines the extent to which overarching energy policy is comprehensive and has clear objectives, and the ability of the national regulatory agency to carry out its critical role. The second sub-dimension, sustainable development, evaluates policies on renewable energy and energy efficiency. The third, energy security, considers policy frameworks for electricity and gas, and emergency and crisis management. Finally the fourth sub-dimension, energy markets, analyses progress towards the formation of a single regional market. The chapter includes suggestions for enhancing the policies in each of these sub-dimensions in order to manage energy well, which in turn would foster the competitiveness of these economies.