Brussels, November 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The European Commission has held talks with Ukraine and Moldova concerning their accession to the Energy Community Treaty.
Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said that talks may be completed in 2009.
The European Commission told Interfax-Ukraine in Brussels on Wednesday that a first round of talks was held successfully in Vienna on November 25 and November 26 with Ukraine and Moldova.
“Both countries demonstrated their strong willingness to join the Energy Community, to prepare for the implementation of the related EU legislation and to pursue the necessary reforms of their energy markets,” reads the report.
Ukraine’s Deputy Fuel and Energy Minister, Serhiy Pavlusha headed the Ukrainian delegation, Moldova’s Deputy Economy and Trade Minister Tudor Copaci headed the Moldovan delegation, and Fabrizio Barbaso headed the European group of negotiations.
The second round of talks will be held in February 2009 in Brussels.
During the talks, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova presented their initial assessment and timetable for the implementation of the Energy Community Treaty, in relation with their energy policy strategy and planned reforms of the energy sector. In both cases, the discussion was very constructive, the European Commission said.
Piebalgs welcomed the positive outcome of the first negotiations.
“This first meeting confirmed that it is possible to progress quickly and to conclude the negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova possibly in 2009,” he said.
