Title: The Energy Charter Treaty

Authors: Clive Jones

Addresses: Secretary General of the Energy Charter Conference

Abstract: The Energy Charter Treaty was signed by forty-one countries and the European Community in Lisbon on 17 December 1994. Eight others signed before the end of the closing date for signature in June this year. The signatures include all the countries of Europe, East and West (except for some regions of the former Yugoslavia) and all the countries of the former USSR region, as well as Japan, Australia and three Mediterranean countries. The United States has, however, decided not to sign. The Treaty creates an international framework of legal safeguards within which companies can invest, operate and trade in the energy sector in all Charter countries. This cooperation will improve energy supply; improve the environment by increasing the efficiency of energy use; open the way to new business opportunities; and catalyse economic recovery in the countries of the East. This is the first multilateral Treaty of such wide scope for one particular economic sector - a fundamentally new approach. It is also the first substantial multilateral Treaty between East and West since the Cold War ended.

Keywords: Energy Charter Treaty; international framework; legal safeguards; energy sector; energy supply; environmental impact; energy efficiency; business opportunities; economic recovery.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.1995.063495

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 1995 Vol.7 No.5/6, pp.314-316

Published online: 15 Jul 2014 *

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