The 28th session of the Energy Charter Conference on the Multilateral Framework Agreement on Energy Transit was entrusted to the Energy Charter Secretariat to begin preparing a framework for negotiations on «soft law» instruments that would address issues of access to infrastructure, energy transit tariffs and updating of the Model Agreements. These issues was recommended to consider at meetings of newly created Technical Subgroup on Transit issues within the framework of the existing group for the implementation of the provisions of Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), i.e. security of energy resources transit affects all participants in energy chain: exporters, importers and transit countries.
Rakhmetova Klara was appointed to chair the subgroup on recommendation of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and by unanimous vote of delegations using a written procedure. Anna Maisuradze from the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia was appointed to deputy chairman of the subgroup.
The Technical Subgroup on Transit Issues held its first meeting on 16 May 2018. The subgroup was established to support the ECT Implementation Unit, to develop geopolitical, economic and technical recommendations for ensuring unimpeded transit of energy resources. The subgroup unites representatives of the oil, gas and electric power industries from the Contracting Parties of the Energy Charter.
The first meeting served as a platform for the dialogue on the discussion of existing practices and experiences in the field of access to energy infrastructure and the formation of transit tariffs. Members of the subgroup from the European Union (EU), Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan made presentations on cross-border infrastructure pipelines and projects, and highlighted the latest developments related to energy standards in their countries. The subgroup also discussed the updating of the Energy Charter Model Agreements.
The Adviser of the General Director of KazTransOil JSC Kalykhbergenova Zaripa made a presentation on the issue “Transportation of Kazakhstan oil through the system of main oil pipelines of the Republic of Kazakhstan and other countries”.
Director of the tariff regulation department Yermekova Dana outlined the main provisions for the formation of transit tariffs.
