Serbia is making significant progress in developing its energy infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to align with the European Union’s energy market. A key step in this process is the ongoing development of a gas interconnector with North Macedonia. Funded by the EU, the feasibility study for this pipeline is expected to be finished soon. At the same time, Serbia is building a domestic gas network from Vranje to the border to make sure the new pipeline can operate at its full capacity once it is completed.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for another important connection, this time with Romania. Technical teams from Serbia and Romania’s gas companies are currently working together to finalize all necessary specifications. Both countries have already secured funding for the project’s implementation.
These developments were a main topic of discussion during a meeting between Serbia’s Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic and the EU ambassador to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret. The meeting also addressed Serbia’s progress in implementing energy sector reforms and aligning its regulations with the European Union’s electricity market. As part of the current Reform Agenda, the EU has pledged 292 million euros in grants to support Serbia’s energy reforms through 2026. Serbia has already implemented all required reforms in the electricity sector that were due by the end of 2024, including transposing the EU’s Third Energy Package into its national legislation for both the gas and electricity sectors.
Minister Djedovic stressed that Serbia is approaching a key milestone. Once the EU institutions approve the final steps, Serbia will become the first country to be fully integrated into the EU’s electricity market prior to its official accession. She described this as a move of great significance for both the country’s development and for strengthening the reliability of energy supply for businesses and consumers.
Djedovic also pointed to the success of the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector, which is now operational and played a key role in securing additional gas from Azerbaijan during the last heating season. Another accomplishment is the certification of Transportgas as an independent system operator after more than a decade. This milestone, recognized by the Energy Community, marks an important step forward in Serbia’s gas sector reform. Furthermore, a new trading platform has been launched to boost market competitiveness. The full liberalization of the market is expected once the installation of essential equipment is finished.
Turning to the subject of carbon emissions, the minister explained that Serbia is currently evaluating the best way to introduce a viable CO2 emissions tax. Although EU proposals exist, Serbia aims to adjust its approach to reflect its own regional conditions. The country has already put in place a system to measure carbon emissions, which is a key prerequisite for implementing the tax. Final assessments are underway to determine the potential effects on different industries, and a proposal will soon be presented to the Energy Community for consideration.
