Priority project selection: PECI

2024 PECI selection

Following the need to reflect developments in the priorities of European energy policy, Regulation (EU) 2022/869 (revised TEN-E), repealing the old TEN-E Regulation, was adopted in June 2022. On 22 March 2023 the European Commission informed the Permanent High Level Group that the revised TEN-E Regulation will be proposed for adoption in the Energy Community. To this end, the Commission and the Secretariat started the process of adaptation of the new TEN-E Regulation to the Energy Community framework. The first draft proposal of the new TEN-E Regulation was shared and discussed with the Energy Community Contracting Parties in spring 2023. After the Parties' expression of support on the draft proposal, the European Commission formally tabled the proposal for a Energy Community Ministerial Council decision. The ministers adopted the adapted Regulation (EU) 2022/869 on 14 December 2023. 

The incorporation of the new TEN-E Regulation into the Energy Community legislative framework followed with the publication of the consolidated act on 19 January 2024. In parallel the new selection process for PECI projects started and is expected to be finished by autumn 2024. The process will result in a draft list of energy infrastructural projects of Energy Community interest, to be approved at the Ministerial Council meeting at the end of 2024.

2022 PECI selection

By the Ministerial Council Decision 2021/11/MC-EnC, amending Decision 2015/09/MC-EnC on the implementation of Regulation (EU) No 347/2013, the adoption of the Energy Community list of energy infrastructural projects every two years has been suspended, pending the adoption by the European Union of a new TEN-E Regulation and its subsequent incorporation and adoption in the Energy Community acquis communautaire.

Until the establishment of a new list of Projects of Energy Community interest, the lists annexed to Decision 2020/04/MC-EnC and Recommendation 2020/01/MC-EnC remain valid. In order to continue with the energy infrastructural development in the Energy Community Contracting Parties in line with the new EU TEN-E Regulation, its adoption and incorporation in the Energy Community acquis is necessary.

2020 PECI / PMI selection

February 2020 marked the launch of the Call for Projects for the third Projects of Energy Community Interest (PECI) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI) selection procedure. Project promoters working on the realisation of energy infrastructure projects in the categories defined in the adopted Regulation 347/2013 Annex I/1-2-3 (electricity transmission, storage, smart grid; gas transmission, storage, LNG/CNG infrastructure; oil transmission and storage) could submit their projects to the Energy Community Secretariat by no later than 28 February 2020.

The Electricity and Gas-Oil Working Groups met three times during Q1 and Q2 of 2020 to discuss and approve the project-specific cost-benefit analysis methodology, the project-specific and country-related input data, to verify the results of the project assessment and finally to propose the draft preliminary PECI and PMI lists to the Permanent High Level Group and the Ministerial Council for adoption.

The Ministerial Council (Decision 2020/04/MC-EnC) adopted the list as proposed by the Working Groups during its December 2020 session. The new, adopted list, replaces the previous list as the PECI and PMI projects of the Energy Community. 

2018 PECI / PMI selection

In July 2017, the Secretariat initiated the process, that is to result in the new 2018 PECI/PMI list. In order to implement the procedure and draw up the draft preliminary list according to the process defined in Annex II.2, the Secretariat selected a consultant (the consortium of REKK and DNV-GL) which assists the Secretariat and the electricity and gas-oil Groups defined in the Regulation Annex II.1. In cooperation with two Groups, the consultant's task is to collect, validate and assess submitted PECI/PMI candidate projects.

This assessment work was concluded in May 2018 and the Groups proposed a draft, preliminary list of Projects of Energy Community Interest and Projects of Mutual Interest. The PECI/PMI lists became binding and thus replaced the 2016 list following the 16th Ministerial Council's approval on 29 November 2018. As a final step, the Secretariat, in cooperation with the project promoters, updated the Energy Community infrastructure transparency platform (PLIMA). 

2016 PECI / PMI selection - Priority projects in line with the EU Regulation 347/2013

By virtue of Decision 2015/09/MC-EnC, the Ministerial Council adopted the Regulation (EU) 347/2013 with certain adaptations in October 2015. The Regulation establishes rules for identifying Projects of Energy Community Interest (PECIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs). Immediately after the adoption of the Regulation, the Secretariat launched a tender for technical support aimed at providing support in the assessment of the candidate priority projects. In inviting project promoters to submit project proposals, the Secretariat announced the first call for the selection of priority infrastructure projects in January 2016. Following the collection of project details from promoters, the evaluation of the projects commenced at the first Groups’ meeting on 26 February 2016.

The Groups were composed of the energy ministry representative, of the respective TSOs / project promoters, the regulator, the European Commission, the ENTSO-E / ENTSO-G, and the Secretariat. They met to discuss the proposals for priority projects, decide on the assessment methodology, the criteria and their weights, and finally propose a preliminary list of priority projects in line with the adapted Regulation (EU) 347/2013. Coordinated by the European Commission and the Secretariat, the Groups met in total three times in the first half of 2016.

Taking account of the preliminary lists proposed by the two Groups, the list of priority infrastructure projects was established by a Ministerial Council Decision in October 2016. The approach and methodology was similar to the one used in the EU, that led to the selection of Projects of Common Interest.  

2013 PECIs - early implementation exercise

On 18 October 2012, the Ministerial Council adopted the Energy Community Strategy. The vast investment needs in energy infrastructure was one of the underlying reasons for the preparation of the Strategy. It defined the required operational framework, methodology, the eligible project categories and the main criteria, along which the projects have been examined and evaluated. Pursuant to the 10th Ministerial Council, the collection of project-specific data from promoters, and their evaluation was to be carried out in the second half of 2012 and in 2013. The proposed approach and methodology was similar to the one that is being used in the Regional Groups of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) selection in the European Union.

In autumn 2012, project promoters of electricity and gas transmission projects, gas and electricity storage projects, electricity generation, liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG) projects, as well as storage facilities for oil, and transport of crude oil projects, were invited to submit information on their projects. Any project promoter, within or outside the Energy Community, was free to submit candidate projects to be assessed as PECIs with the conditions:

• the project is located in at least one Contracting Party, and,
• it will impact at least two Contracting Parties, or a Contracting Party and an EU Member State.

In line with the EU PCI practice, a public consultation on the list of submitted projects took place from 5 March to 29 April 2013. The aim was to collect feedback and comments from stakeholders on the proposed projects and possible proposals for additional projects to be considered.

Supported by a consultant and the Secretariat, the Energy Strategy Task Force prepared a draft list of PECI. As a next step, the list was to be submitted for approval by the Permanent High Level Group and finally to the Ministerial Council for its endorsement in October 2013.

At the time of this first exercise the Energy Community had not yet adopted Regulation (EU) 347/2013, so the process can be viewed as an exercise of early implementation.