Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position with regard to Turkey's accession to the Energy Community Treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34418/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Treaty establishing the Energy community was signed on 25 October 2005 by the European Community and by Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, Romania and Serbia as well as by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The Treaty follows on from the Athens process which started in 2002 when the European Commission set out proposals for the creation of a regional energy market in South East Europe. The Athens process and the Energy Community Treaty reflect the objectives of the Stabilisation and Association Process, which aims to promote cooperation between the European Union and the countries of the region. The Treaty also seeks to encourage cooperation among those counties themselves.

The Energy Community Treaty will allow the Balkan region to become integrated into the EU's internal energy market. Its key operational aims are to extend the application of the Community's acquis to all parties to the Treaty across a range of areas. It will create regional mechanisms to allow for closer integration of local energy markets. It represents agreement also to work towards common policies for external trade, mutual assistance and the removal of internal energy market barriers.

Turkey is currently engaged in negotiations on accession to the Energy Community Treaty. It has already signed the Athens Memorandum on which the Energy Community is based. This contains commitments at a political level for the establishment of and integrated regional energy market.

The Energy Community is a key element of the Union's strategy in South East Europe and is an important pre-accession tool for parties preparing to join the Union. Ireland supports the Energy Community and looks forward to an early agreement with Turkey which will enable it to accede to the Treaty.