A Gas Centre dedicated to economies in transition

The UNECE Gas Centre was launched in 1994 as a technical cooperation programme “Promotion and Development of a Market-Based Gas Industry in Economies in Transition - the Gas Centre”. It was established to assist governments and gas companies in central and eastern Europe in their efforts to create more decentralized and market-based gas industries.

The Gas Centre developed a network of key representatives from Governments and gas industry. The programme is extra-budgetary and financed by some 25 major gas companies, state-owned and private, from Europe, the United States and the Mediterranean Basin, namely: Algeria (Sonatrach), Austria (OMV gas/AGGM), Croatia (Plinacro), France (Gaz de France), Germany ( Wintershall), Hungary (MOL), Italy (ENI), Latvia (Latvijas Gaze), Moldova (Moldovagaz), Netherlands (Gasunie, Essent), Norway (Norsk Hydro, Statoil), Poland (Polish Oil and Gas Company « POGC »), Romania (Romgaz), Russian Federation (Gazprom), Serbia (Srbijagas), Slovak Republic (SPP), Slovenia (Geoplin-Plinovodi ), Switzerland (Swiss Gas), Tunisia (STEG), Turkey (BOTAS), Ukraine (Naftogaz of Ukraine/Ukrtransgas), United Kingdom (National Grid,Shell Int. Gas).

In the light of the fundamental and profound changes taking place in the natural gas markets of Europe, the Gas Centre’s mandate was re-focussed over the years. In 2002, a forward looking assessment of the objectives, work methods, fee schedule and programme of work was carried out by the member companies of the Gas Centre, with the help of staff, with the aim of strengthening the Gas Centre. Today, in addition to contributing to institutional capacity development and training for the benefit of economies in transition (e.g., on industry restructuring and privatisation), the Gas Centre activities are focussed on:

I. Exchange of information and data between the member companies on the gas markets and gas industry and especially between member companies with experience in free-market conditions and companies in countries with an economy in transition;
II. Exchange of information and views between the gas industry, the ECE and goverment on policy issues ;
III. Promoting the interests of the gas industry ;
IV. Enhancing the network of gas companies in the ECE region ;
V. Serving as a platform for discussions on topics of interest and policy development ;
VI. To cooperate in the interest of the gas industry with other agencies/international organisations (IGU, EU, WEC, IEA, World Bank, etc.).

Organization

The strategic direction, programme of work and budget of the Gas Centre are established and overseen yearly by its Executive Board, in which all member companies are represented, as well as the Director of the ECE Sustainable Energy Division (SED). The Executive Board meets at least once a year, normally in Geneva. In order to prepare the decision-making by the Executive Board, draft plans, budgets and working programmes are discussed with the Bureau (four senior members of the Executive Board). The Bureau, and especially the Chairman of the Bureau/Executive Board, can be consulted for special items or questions/subjects that have to be dealt with in a very limited timeframe.

Under the supervision of the SED Director, the Secretary of the Working Party on Gas is responsible for the Missions/Governmental relations on gas in the ECE area. The staff of the Gas Centre cooperates primarily with the gas industry, especially its member companies. The Working Party on Gas and the Gas Centre are operating closely together.

All activities of the Gas Centre are executed by the staff of the Gas Centre together with its member companies. The yearly programme is carried out through various means such as task forces, workshops, conferences and technical advisory missions. The transfer of data and information is also organised via the Gas Centre database. The private part of the database is only accessible to the member companies.

The Gas Centre activities are assessed regularly by the staff and the member companies.

The three current Gas Centre Task Forces are:

• TFG1: Implementation of the EU Gas Directives
• TFG2: Transportation and tariffs (GATE 2010)
• TFG3 (ad hoc): Gas Transportation Pipelines (UNGTP)

To learn more about the Gas Centre, listen to its Manager presentation