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The summary of the key issues, discussed by Baltic Prime Ministers.

Energy

Andrus Ansip, Valdis Dombrovskis and Algirdas Butkevicius. Jurmala, 30.05.2013.

- referring to the objectives set by the European Council for completing the internal energy market by 2014 and for ending the isolation of all the EU Member States by 2015, underlined that ending energy isolation of the Baltic States is an urgent matter to be solved;

- stated that BEMIP has identified the key energy infrastructure that is necessary for a well-functioning energy market in the Member States of the Baltic Sea Region;

- welcomed the progress with regards to implementing BEMIP in the electricity sector and noted that ongoing interconnection projects will ensure connectivity of the Baltic States’ to the European electricity markets;

- underlined the importance of EURUBY negotiations towards harmonizing the rules for power system regulation, which is an important step towards the implementation of common trade regime for electricity from third countries as stated in the Prime Ministers’ conclusions of 10 November 2011;

- recognized the common efforts in the BEMIP framework regarding regional gas market development and emphasized that decisions on infrastructure development for diversification of gas supply are precondition for ending the Baltic States’ isolation in the foreseeable future and that delays might have a negative long term impact on our security of supply and competitiveness;

- stressed the necessity to foster relevant decisions and take harmonized actions for the development of natural gas market in the Baltic countries to avoid price and security risks;

- underlined the importance of the comprehensive natural gas infrastructure development package (Gas Interconnection between Poland and Lithuania, regional LNG terminal on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, Balticconnector pipeline, Incukalns gas storage, network upgrades in the Baltic States) as recently agreed in the BEMIP HLG conclusions to be implemented in timely manner, in order to ensure physical integration of the Baltic States with the common EU gas network and security of gas supply at affordable and competitive prices;

- agreed that, in order to take further decisions on Visaginas NPP project, it is crucial, first of all, to address economic viability of the Project jointly by all potential investors, taking into account the decision of Lithuanian Government on the conditions for the continuation of the Project, and, secondly, progressing with the previously identified outstanding issues, if the Project is to be continued;

- welcomed recent European Council conclusions and upcoming review regarding EU external energy policy before the end of 2013, including the need to ensure a level playing-field vis-à-vis third country energy producers as well as nuclear safety in the EU neighbourhood;

- agreed that cooperation on energy efficiency could be beneficial for the development of regional and national energy policies;

- agreed to establish an ad hoc working group led by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Latvia regarding energy efficiency and to report to the Baltic Council of Ministers in 2014 meeting;

- agreed to (i) analyse existing and planned common construction standards in Baltic States and seek the possibilities to harmonise the standards defining quality of building and refurbishment processes; (ii) define common process of measurement and levels of quality, (iii) to harmonise rules of recognition and of evaluation of experts; (iv) begin the discussion on coordinated financial instrument for energy efficiency;

-expressed interest in further development of Baltic Energy Security Research Platform.

Internal market

- underlined the importance of a common effort in progressive elaboration and implemention of measures aimed at further integration of the regional markets for gas-filled cylinders. Mutually coordinated and targeted measures are of high importance to facilitate fair competition in the regional market of gas-filled cylinder distribution as well as maintain trust and consumer confidence.

Baltic States agreed to enhance their efforts for administrative cooperation in the field of market surveillance as well as work out common regulation that would contribute to the benefits of the fully functioning EU market and advance the goals of the EU Directive 2010/35/EU on transportable pressure equipment.

Transport

- welcomed the progress made by the inter-ministerial working group the Rail Baltica Task Force with the preparatory works for the new Rail Baltica 1435 mm line;

- in particular, welcomed the involvement of Poland and Finland within the Task Force and confirmed that they are welcomed partners in the Rail Baltica joint legal entity;

reiterated the importance of the Rail Baltica project to the Baltic Sea region as a whole and its importance as a part of the Trans-European Core Network;

- supported the Joint Declaration signed by the Minister of Transport of Latvia, the Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania and the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia during the XXXIII annual meeting of the ministers of transport of the three Baltic States held on the 10-11 of April 2013 in Riga, make the final decision on a legal form of the legal entity and finalise with the preparation of the draft founding papers not later than by the end of July 2013;

- reiterated the importance of finishing all the spatial planning, preliminary design and environmental studies for the new 1435 mm gauge Rail Baltic line, and other preparatory works by the end of 2015 on the equal technical quality level as agreed by the Rail Baltic Task Force;

- stressed the importance to attract funding for the Rail Baltica from the EU and other public and private sources with the aim to ensure a sound business-case and efficiency for the railway in the future;

Communication with the Baltic Assembly

- agreed to consider proposals regarding further strengthening of joint external economic cooperation of the three Baltic countries;

- supported the proposal of joint celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way, involving the relevant authorities.