The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, represented by the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), requested the Energy Community Secretariat�s Dispute Resolution and Negotiation Centre to facilitate negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo on the long-standing dispute between EMS and KOSTT. The BMZ is particularly concerned about this dispute frustrating investments in the energy sectors in the region and blocking the integration of the regional energy market in the Western Balkans.

The Secretariat has mediated the resolution of the bilateral disputes between EMS and KOSTT before, which resulted in the conclusion of two bilateral agreements. However, these agreements have not been followed up and the dispute is still unresolved. Mediation in the dispute between EMS and KOSTT is also envisaged by the CONNECTA programme on the Regional Energy Market in the Western Balkan 6 countries, which the Secretariat implements for the European Commission.

The Secretariat will now reach out to the two governments concerned and organize the mediation process in the immediate future.