White paper The Council of Foreign Investors for the year 2024 presents an annual report that evaluates progress in the implementation of recommendations for improving business and economic regulations in Serbia. It ranks sectors according to achievements based on a methodology that uses a Likert scale: “significant progress” brings 3 points, “certain progress” 2 points, and “no progress” 1 point.
One of the sectors that is White paper it also included energy, evaluating eight recommendations, namely four from the field of electricity, two from the field of renewable energy sources and two from the field of energy efficiency.
In the overall ranking, the energy sector took first place in 2024, with an index of 2.63 out of a maximum of 3. In 2023, this index was 2.30.
When it comes to the field of electricity, the first recommendation was given in The white book in 2016. It refers to the fact that electricity price regulation should be abandoned (but sensitive customers should be protected), which would enable new investments in the modernization and revitalization of coal and electricity production. It was assessed that this recommendation has made significant progress to date.
The second recommendation from 2020 states that work should be continued on creating the necessary conditions for the introduction of carbon pricing instruments, and it was rated with some progress.
The third recommendation from 2021 dictates that targeted energy savings should be prescribed, as Directive 2012/27/EC as well as its amendment 2018/2002/EC provide for this. As stated at the time, the proposal for revising energy efficiency goals in terms of their increase is currently being prepared. It is also necessary to foresee the reduction of “specific consumption” of energy, i.e. consumption per unit of product. In relation to this, the recommendation was assessed as – some progress.
The fourth recommendation from 2022, which states that it is necessary to harmonize the regulations related to the calculation of VAT on consumer invoices, has also been assessed with some progress.
When talking about the area of renewable energy sources, the first recommendation from 2021 says – By-laws that will regulate incentive systems more closely should be tailored to accelerate investments in the sector of renewable energy sources and follow the joint guidelines of the EBRD and the Energy Community. Significant progress has been made here.
The recommendation from 2022, which states that the regulation and methodology for determining the maximum price at auctions should be adjusted so that it reflects more the impact of the market price of electricity, received this rating.
The last area refers to energy efficiency, and the first recommendation from it, which was given in 2017, is that a functional contract model should be adopted that will regulate energy supply. Significant progress has been assessed for this recommendation.
The second recommendation is also from 2017 and refers to the improvement of capacities for the Commission for Public-Private Partnerships and other significant public entities, in terms of contracting and using energy and energy supply, including the public and private sectors. She too was rated with significant progress.
Katarina Vuinac
Source: energetskiportal.rs
