TY - THES ID - 135004800 TI - Integrating the Gas Market in Central and South-Eastern Europe. A Cost-Effective Response to Russian Gas Dominance? AU - De Raeve, Wouter AU - Van Kemseke, Peter AU - KU Leuven. Faculteit Sociale Wetenschappen. Opleiding Master of European Studies. Transnational and Global Perspectives (Leuven) PY - 2016 PB - Leuven KU Leuven. Faculteit Sociale Wetenschappen DB - UniCat UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:135004800 AB - The ongoing crisis in Ukraine lifted energy issues to the top of the agenda of the European Commission. The EU realizes as never before that in terms of gas it is too dependent on Russia, especially in Central and South-Eastern Europe. To tackle this situation, the European Commission has launched the ‘Central and South-Eastern Europe Gas Connectivity’ (CESEC). The primary objective is gas market integration by supporting infrastructure projects, avoiding market fragmentation and improving the security of the gas supply. This thesis analyzes the costs and benefits of regional gas market integration in Central and South-Eastern Europe in the form of the CESEC-initiative. The main research question is whether such regional integration is able tackle the vulnerable energy situation in the region. Although CESEC is an ambitious instrument, the costs of the project are neglected in the official documents of the European Commission. In addition to the Commission’s perspective, the thesis therefore also analyzes the political and economic costs involved for the participating countries. The benefits proposed by the European Commission have the character of a double edged sword. Further diversification of supply and gas market liberalization are expected to trigger respectively a political confrontation with Russia and a loss of national sovereignty in the field of energy. Because gas market integration happens on a voluntary basis, the geographical scope and the speed of integration will dependent on the willingness of the countries in the region to engage in the project. In a scenario where these countries are willing to integrate, the objectives and geographical scope of CESEC can even expand. At any point in the future a political agreement to include other energy sources or to allow the participation of other countries can be reached. ER -