Screening of energy legislation within the framework of EU integration has begun

On July 8, the official screening of Ukrainian legislation for compliance with European Union law in the energy sector began in Brussels. The Ukrainian delegation, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration - Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olga Stefanishyna, included Deputy Ministers of Energy of Ukraine Roman Andarak and Mykola Kolisnyk, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine reported.

During the event, representatives of state authorities and energy companies presented the current status of implementation of EU law in areas such as energy efficiency, the gas market, security of supply, renewable energy and trans-European energy networks.

The screening is a crucial stage in Ukraine's accession to the EU and will determine the next steps in implementing the EU acquis under Chapters 15, "Energy," and 21, "Trans-European Networks." The Ukrainian side outlined the main challenges in the implementation process and informed the EU about the needs for support. Representatives of the European Commission emphasized that energy is one of the key chapters of the negotiations, as it covers the issues of market liberalization and energy security. They also noted Ukraine's good progress in the areas of gas, electricity, market design, as well as in strengthening institutional capacity, which was made possible thanks to many years of support from the EU.

Deputy Minister Roman Andarak emphasized the symbolism of the fact that on the eve of the start of the official screening, two important draft laws were registered in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine: “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Implementation of European Law on the Integration of Energy Markets, Improving Security of Supply and Competitiveness in the Energy Sector” and “On Infrastructure Projects in the Energy Sector of Public Interest”. We have already submitted the draft law on the integration of energy markets to the European side for assessment of its compliance with European legislation and we expect that the relevant conclusion will contribute to its adoption by the Verkhovna Rada. The joint development of our energy markets in accordance with EU legislation and the principles of solidarity has already proven its effectiveness in strengthening resilience to external threats,” Roman Andarak noted.

He also added that within the framework of the bilateral meeting with the EU, Ukraine is negotiating with the European Commission on possible directions for accelerated integration.

Deputy Minister Mykola Kolisnyk noted the potential for cooperation in the field of biomethane development, as the beginning of 2025 was marked by the first export of Ukrainian biomethane to the EU, which demonstrated high market interest.

“In order to accelerate integration, we aim to begin the process of connecting the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine to the EU Database (Union Database), which will provide additional transparency and proper verification of data on biomethane injection,” said Mykola Kolisnyk.

Other initiatives proposed by the Ukrainian side include strengthening cooperation between the national energy regulator and the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), including Ukraine as an observer in EU bodies developing energy legislation, etc.