International cooperation

International Cooperation

Since its establishment in 1997, the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) has built solid ties with international energy regulators, signing numerous partnership and cooperation agreements. The cooperation with foreign partners in the area of energy regulation has played an important role in streamlining the national energy market and harmonizing the Moldovan regulatory framework with the European one.

1. Cooperation and partnership relations
Republic of Moldova joined the Treaty of establishing the Energy Community in 2010, with ANRE becoming the full member of the Energy Community Regulatory Board (ECRB). Energy Community, based in Vienna, was founded to extend the EU internal energy market rules and principles to countries in South East Europe, the Black Sea region and beyond, to create an integrated pan-European energy market.
In the course of this cooperation Energy Community Secretariat has provided technical and financial support, engaging international experts in drafting regulatory acts and providing expertize in reviewing the regulatory acts drafted by ANRE. Based on experience gained ANRE continues the adjust gradually the regulatory framework to the best European practices.
The ECRB membership involves a permanent exchange of experience and networking in the energy sector with representatives from different countries. Republic of Moldova has the obligation to implement the existing energy acquis, which generates in turn various reporting obligations. ANRE top managers and employees staff are constantly involved in various ECRB activities (programs and trainings), as well as, working groups. Currently, ANRE staff participates in the following working groups: the electricity working group (EWG), the gas working group (GWG) and the working group on the customers and retail markets in the energy sector.
In 2000, ANRE became the founding member of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA). The Association’s main objective is to increase exchange of information and experience among its members. ANRE employees participate at numerous trainings in energy regulation, committees and working groups, including the Licensing/Competition Committee, the Tariff/Pricing Committee, ERRA Customers and Retail Markets Working Group.
In 2016 ANRE was accepted as an observer of the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) by an unanimous vote. As an observer ANRE participates in the events organized by CEER, which aim to improve the operating conditions of the regulated sectors, and enhance the implementation and adjustment of the national legislation to European directives and regulations. CEER provides training courses to ANRE staff on how to trade energy on the market, how to manage the risks by licensees operating in the energy sector and the opportunities of the regular electricity market transactions, which contributes to a better understanding of the activity of monitoring and supervising the national and European wholesale energy markets.
ANRE continues the cooperation with the European Water Regulators (WAREG) in the area of public water supply and sewerage service regulation. As a member, ANRE aims to absorb the experience and to harmonize the national legislation in public water supply and sewerage service sector to the European one.
ANRE continues also to develop the dialogue with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), a partnership developed under the aegis of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). During the events organized by NARUC, in 2018 and 2019, ANRE representatives provided studies on the recent developments in the Moldovan electricity market and presented the methodology of calculating the price for auxiliary services in Moldova, while participating in discussions on the possibility of balancing the regional power system and cyber security. The cooperation with the partners from the United States focuses on the following regional platforms: Black Sea Regulatory Initiative (BSRI), the Natural Gas Partnership Workshop in Europe and Eurasia, the Cyber Security Working Group.
In 2010, ANRE became a partner of Missouri Public Utilities Committee under the aegis of NARUC and funded by USAID. The partnership focuses on an exchange of studies and analyses in the area of renewable energy, investments in the energy sector, liberalization of energy markets and consumer protection. As a result of this cooperation ANRE has implemented the System for Electronic Information Correspondence (SEIIC), which was received as a donation from Missouri Public Utilities Committee. SEIIC has helped improve ANRE’s work by reducing the time of examining consumers petitions and diminishing paper usage.

2. International cooperation agreements
In September 2012, ANRE was part of the cooperation for the development project "Enhancing the protection of free market competition in Moldova through education and good governance," financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, in collaboration with the Development and Humanitarian Aid Cooperation Funds. The aim of the project is to take in the Estonian experience in harmonizing the legislation with EU standards, implementing competition protection mechanisms, combining regulatory instruments with those of competition protection in order to increase competition on the free market in the Republic of Moldova.
February 2013, ANRE signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Estonian Competition Authority. The agreement includes an exchange of working experience and regulatory practices in energy sector, meetings and other activities.
September 2013, ANRE partnered with Maine Public Utilities Commission, USA under the aegis of the NARUC and the USAID, to exchange experience in various regulatory sectors of the energy market.
October 2014, ANRE signed a cooperation protocol with Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) to exchange information and expertise between the two sides. The main directions of cooperation are the exchange of data, information and documents related to the implementation of European legislation in the electricity and natural gas sectors. ANRE Romania and ANRE of the Republic of Moldova are expected to sign in 2019, a Cooperation and Assistance Program, that comes to extend further the cooperation protocol signed in 2014.
May 2016, ANRE signed another protocol for cooperation and partnership in the area of public water supply and sewerage services with the National Romanian Regulator for Public Services (ANRSC). The protocol of cooperation involves: periodical consultations to discuss mutual, regional and European regulation issues; annual meetings to discuss subjects on water supply and sewerage services; providing mutual assistance in developing normative acts, in line with the acquis communautaire, and the necessary support in developing European Union projects in the energy sectors.

3. Cooperation agreements

March 2010 - ANRE signed an Information Exchange Agreement with the National Bank of Moldova.
January 2012 - ANRE and the Court of Accounts signed a cooperation agreement regarding the exchange of information.
March 2012 - ANRE signed an Agreement with the Customs Service regarding the access to the Integrated Customs Information System.
ANRE continues to cooperate with the main development partners of the Republic of Moldova, in particular with the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, USAID, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Embassy of Sweden, etc.