The European Commission, together with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, has opened a call for interest for candidates interested in the position of European Coordinator focusing on the Baltic Synchronisation project. In line with Article 6 paragraph 2 of the Trans-European Network for Energy (TEN-E) Regulation, the position involves closely monitoring the last phase of implementation as well as the progress on the remaining infrastructure investments, provide advice and facilitate any measures that need to be taken by the stakeholders, and report back to the Commission and the Member States on the relevant progress.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania remain the last Member States synchronised with networks of third countries, i.e. Russia (including Kaliningrad) and Belarus. Their synchronisation with the EU networks through Poland has been continuously an urgent priority for the EU with the Baltic synchronisation project being a PCI since 2013. The project has been continuously supported and followed by the Commission which has been intensively and actively facilitating its implementationunder the auspices of the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan High-Level Group (BEMIP) that it chairs. The project has received EU grants from the Connecting Europe Facility for Energy exceeding EUR 1.23 bn. In addition, Latvia and Lithuania has benefited from funding from the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
The target date for the completion of the Baltic synchronisation (February 2025) is approaching with very important actions still to come. In addition, a series of infrastructure investments necessary for the Baltic States’ systems and the region will be completed in the period following the synchronisation and require close follow-up.
The Baltic Sea region is the region with one of the highest potential for renewable energy deployment and the production and supply of low-carbon and, particularly, renewable gases in the EU. A series of PCIs are already being developed in the region concerning all BEMIP Member States and more projects are being studied and planned.
Consequently, the Commission together with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania has established that there is a need to appoint a European Coordinator focusing on the Baltic synchronisation project providing the required critical expertise and close follow-up for the timely and orderly completion of the project and of the remaining investments. The European Coordinator dedicated full-time to the Baltic synchronisation project will ensure that the Commission can provide the necessary support to the Member States and project promoters concerned by implementing the tasks provided in Article 6 paragraph 2 of the TEN-E Regulation.
The Coordinator should closely monitor the last phase of implementation as well as the progress on the remaining infrastructure investments, provide advice and facilitate any measures that need to be taken by the stakeholders, and report back to the Commission and the Member States on the relevant progress. The Coordinator will take a proactive approach and contribute actively, alongside the European Commission and the Member States concerned, to the achievement of any tasks and duties required for the project including participation in working groups, meetings or workshops. The Coordinator will take into account the project coordination by way of BEMIP and the context of all the other activities followed-up in BEMIP. It will work closely with the relevant Member States, all relevant stakeholders, in particular, the project promoters and with the Commission services. The Coordinator has to draft an annual report which the Commission will forward to the European Parliament and the BEMIP electricity regional group. The work for the European Coordinator will be conducted in English.
Should the relevant Member States so agree, the mandate of the Coordinator might be extended by amending his or her mission statement to additional PCIs in the Baltic Sea region which might benefit in their development from such European coordination in view of reaching the potential of the region under the auspices of BEMIP.
Candidates should be EU nationals with fluent English and have at least 10 years of relevant experience. Interested parties should contact: ENER-C4-PROJECTS@ec.europa.eu for more precise details, with final applications needing to be submitted by 19 September 2024.
More details on the requirements and the selection procedure:
