The Vertical Corridor Initiative has entered a new phase with its expansion towards the Western Balkans. Natural gas transmission operators participating in the initiative convened in Athens on Friday, 10 July, for a working session that, for the first time, included the participation of operators from Serbia and North Macedonia, marking an important milestone in the further development of regional energy connectivity.

The meeting brought together eleven transmission system operators from across the region: DESFA, Gastrade, ICGB, Bulgartransgaz, Transgaz, Vestmoldtransgaz, FGSZ, EUSTREAM, GTSOU, NOMAGAS, and Transportgas Srbija. The companies were represented by their Chief Executive Officers and senior management representatives.

The discussions focused on the practical steps required to extend the Vertical Corridor, including the assessment of available system capacities, interconnection points, required infrastructure investments, and implementation timelines. The participants agreed to establish a joint technical and commercial working group, tasked with coordinating the technical evaluation of the expansion and preparing the extension of the existing Memorandum of Understanding, thereby supporting the transition of the initiative from the planning stage towards implementation.

The Minister of Environment and Energy of Greece, Mr. Stavros Papastavrou, and the Minister of Energy of Bulgaria, Ms. Iva Petrova, attended part of the meeting, expressing the strong political support of their respective governments for the initiative and welcoming the integration of the Western Balkan countries into the region’s evolving energy framework. Both Ministers highlighted that the Vertical Corridor represents more than an infrastructure project; it is a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, economic integration, and the resilience of the energy systems of South-East and Central Europe.

With this milestone, the Vertical Corridor further expands its geographical reach and strategic importance beyond its initial scope. The initiative is developing into an integrated regional platform for energy cooperation, supporting security of supply, diversification of gas sources and routes, infrastructure resilience, and enhanced market integration across South-East and Central Europe, including the Western Balkans.

The participating operators reaffirmed their commitment to close technical and operational cooperation in order to advance the expansion of the Corridor efficiently and within the required timeframe, further strengthening its role as a reliable, competitive, and strategically important energy route for South-East and Central Europe and the Western Balkans.