From threat to opportunity: Redefining energy security in Central and Eastern Europe

The document outlines a new energy security framework for Central and Eastern Europe, emphasizing the transition to clean energy to reduce vulnerabilities associated with fossil fuel imports and geopolitical instability. It advocates for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the establishment of a grid security framework to counter hybrid warfare, and the expansion of the EU single energy market through harmonized permitting and increased interconnectivity. Additionally, it calls for the EU to adopt an incentive-based investment approach, similar to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, to maintain global competitiveness and avoid reliance on non-EU financing.

• Fossil fuel imports continue to pose a security threat, as diversification to other suppliers is limited by price volatility and the fact that long-term contracts no longer guarantee deliveries. The document notes that sourcing LNG from the U.S. has diminished Europe's negotiating power in trade policy.
• Decarbonization is hindered by fossil fuel subsidies, specifically Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) for gas Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems in Slovakia. The authors argue these should be redirected toward geothermal power and district heating.
• The energy transition introduces new vulnerabilities, including cybersecurity threats and critical raw material supply chain issues. While the EU selected 47 priority projects for raw materials in 2025, recycling was underutilized at 12% in 2023; the Circular Economy Act aims to increase this to 24% by 2030.
• European energy security depends on market integration and infrastructure connectivity. Examples of successful resilience include the Synchronization of Baltic States with the EU electricity system and the Romania-Moldova power connection. The document also highlights the need for standardized designs for small modular reactors (SMRs) at an EU-wide level.
• The EU's current restrictive approach to investment, including the EU Taxonomy, may push CEE utilities toward non-EU financing sources like China. The document suggests an incentive-based approach similar to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to support "made in EU" products.

APA

Lagurashvili, T., & Czyżak, P. (2025). From threat to opportunity: Redefining energy security in Central and Eastern Europe. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2025/06/threat-opportunity-redefining-energy-security-central-eastern-europe/

Chicago

Lagurashvili, Tamara, and Paweł Czyżak. From threat to opportunity: Redefining energy security in Central and Eastern Europe. Clean Air Task Force, 2025. https://www.catf.us/2025/06/threat-opportunity-redefining-energy-security-central-eastern-europe/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lagurashvili |first1=Tamara |last2=Czyżak |first2=Paweł |title=From threat to opportunity: Redefining energy security in Central and Eastern Europe |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=23 June 2025 |url=https://www.catf.us/2025/06/threat-opportunity-redefining-energy-security-central-eastern-europe/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lagurashvili2025from, author = {Lagurashvili, Tamara and Czyżak, Paweł}, title = {{From threat to opportunity: Redefining energy security in Central and Eastern Europe}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://www.catf.us/2025/06/threat-opportunity-redefining-energy-security-central-eastern-europe/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }