ABSTRACT
Regional energy cooperation is addressed in the ‘Energy strategy of Romania 2016–2030, with an outlook to 2050’. The value of regional energy cooperation is discussed in connection to the theme of increasing the interconnection capacity of Romania. The institution that possesses the most competency in terms of regional cooperation with regard to energy is the Ministry of Energy. The regional positioning is described more in terms of physical capacities and less in terms of normative commitments and soft power instruments, although they are important in the underpinning of infrastructural cooperation in all of the cooperation mechanisms presented. Regional cooperation is one of the fields of reference of the ministry and is carried out through various bilateral and multilateral formulas. Regional cooperation occurs on several levels and involves multiple categories of actors and interaction. The regional initiatives fall into this category, as they have become institutional structures through the Third Energy Package.
