The V4 Forum for Gas Market Integration held its first session in Budapest on 29 October 2013. At the meeting organised by the Ministry of National Development, Minister of State for Energy Affairs Pál Kovács welcomed representatives of the responsible ministries of the V4 member states, regulatory bodies, delivery system operators as well as of the European Commission.

The Hungarian presidency continues the development of the natural gas market integration of the region along the path set by Poland, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs underlined in his opening address. Implementing infrastructure developments, establishing the North-South corridors and harmonising regulations are all necessary elements for the implementation of an interconnected natural gas market in the EU, he added. The cooperation of countries in the Central European Region is furthermore required for the diversification of natural gas resources and the exploitation of shale gas stock available in the member states.

Following the decision of the Shah Deniz Consortium this summer to reject the Nabucco West Project, member states of the region embarked upon tighter energy cooperation, Pál Kovács reminded participants of the forum. “It became clear to us that the Central European natural gas market integration, which would also help the implementation of the European Gas Target Model, should be set up as a regional initiative. Together we would find an efficient solution not only for the problem of the characteristically unilateral energy dependence of the region but also for the high-level stabilisation of the security of energy supply as well.  The V4 Forum for Gas Market Integration will serve as an efficient tool to achieve these goals”, the Minister of State said.

The forum was set up at a Hungarian initiative, by signing the Road Map towards the regional gas market among V4 countries at the prime ministerial summit in Warsaw, in June 2013. The organisation aims to create, by providing political support and an institutional background, efficient coordination among Visegrád countries for the coordinated transposition of EU regulations and the soonest possible implementation of market integration.

(Ministry of National Development, Communications Department)