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{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2013}}
The '''Baku Initiative''' is an international initiative of the [[European Union]].<ref name=iea>
{{cite book
| author = [[International Energy Agency|IEA]]
| title = IEA energy policies review: the European Union – 2008
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=1TyXCd6ziXQC&pg=PA127
| year = 2008
| publisher = [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]]
| isbn = 978-92-64-04337-4
| page = 127}}
</ref> It is a policy dialogue on energy and transport cooperation between the [[European Union]] and the littoral states of the [[Black Sea]], [[Caspian Sea]] and their neighbours, undertaken as part of the [[INOGATE]] energy and [[TRACECA]] transport programmes.<ref name=icbss>
{{cite journal
| first = Burcu | last = Gültekin-Punsmann
| title = Black Sea Regional Policy Approach: A Potential Contributor to European Energy Security
| url = http://kms1.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/104587/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/9490c023-3c19-46e8-9a8c-65f6a2d7ef96/en/PB_06.pdf
| format = PDF
| date = May 2008
| publisher = [[International Centre for Black Sea Studies|ICBSS]]
| journal = Policy Brief
| issue = 6
| pages = 9–10
| accessdate = 10 August 2011}}
</ref><ref name=tonus>
{{cite conference
|first=Ozgur
|last=Tonus
|title=Turkey's future role as a transit country for Central Asia and Caspian natural gas transfer to the EU: the Nabucco Project
|url=http://bildiri.anadolu.edu.tr/papers/bildirimakale/106_901j22.pdf
|format=PDF
|year=2008
|publisher=Athens Institute for Education and Research
|conference=6th International Conference on Politics and International Affairs
|location=Athens
|pages=9; 15
|accessdate=10 August 2011
}}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
</ref>

==History==
The Baku Initiative is originating from the [[European Neighbourhood Policy]] launched in 2004.<ref name=tonus/><ref name=henderson/> On 13 November 2004, the First Ministerial Conference on Energy Cooperation between the EU and the littoral states of the [[Black Sea]], [[Caspian Sea]] and their neighbours was held in [[Baku]].<ref name=icbss/><ref name=tonus/><ref name=denison>
{{cite journal
|url= http://aei.pitt.edu/11477/1/1883.pdf
|title= The EU and Central Asia: Commercialising the Energy Relationship
|first1 = Michael | last1 = Denison
|journal = EUCAM Working Papers
|publisher= EUCAM
|issue = 2
|date=July 2009
|page= 5
|format = PDF
|isbn= 978-92-9079-901-6
|accessdate= 10 August 2011}}
</ref> Conclusions of this conference became known as the Baku Initiative.<ref name=henderson>
{{cite book
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=U30skV5UTaoC&pg=PA144
|title= The Black Sea region and EU policy: the challenge of divergent agendas
|first1 = Karen | last1 = Henderson
|first2 = Carol | last2 = Weaver
|publisher= [[Ashgate Publishing]]
|year=2010
|pages=144–145
|isbn= 978-1-4094-1201-4}}
</ref> At the same time, a Transport Ministeral conference was held, resulting in a formal announcement on 14 November, supporting the framework of the EU [[TRACECA]] programme. A second Ministerial Conference following up the Energy Initiative was held in [[Astana]], Kazakhstan on 30 November 2006.<ref name=icbss/><ref name=amineh/><ref name=gheorghe>
{{cite book
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=I2EA6xBc4jUC&pg=PA32
|title= Energy Security: International and Local Issues, Theoretical Perspectives, and Critical Energy Infrastructures
|first1 = Adrian | last1 = Gheorghe
|first2 = Liviu | last2 = Muresan
|publisher= [[Axel Springer AG|Springer]]
|year=2011
|page = 32
|isbn= 978-9400707184}}
</ref><ref name=youngs/><ref name=ens>
{{cite news
| agency = Environmental News Service
| title = EU, Caspian, Black Sea States Plan Common Energy Market
| url = http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2006/2006-11-30-02.asp
| date = 30 November 2006
| accessdate = 10 August 2011}}
</ref> A second Transport Ministerial Conference was held in [[Sofia]], Bulgaria on 2–3 May 2006.<ref name="Baku Initiative">European Commission Transport Directorate website, [http://ec.europa.eu/transport/international/regional_cooperation/caucasus_central-asia_en.htm Baku Initiative]</ref>

==Objectives==
===Energy===
The Initiative aims to enhance integration of the energy markets of participating countries with the EU [[energy market]] so as to create transparent energy markets, capable of attracting investment as well as enhancing security of energy supply.<ref name=ens/><ref name=wunderlich>
{{cite book
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=o8RReXBkTScC&pg=PA289
|title= The European Union and Global Governance: A Handbook
|first1 = Jens Uwe | last1 = Wunderlich
|first2 = David J. | last2 = Bailey
|publisher= [[Taylor & Francis]]
|series = Routledge International Handbooks Series
|year=2011
|page = 289
|isbn= 978-1-85743-509-2}}
</ref> Some authors describe this aim as European funding and investment for infrastructure development in return for a guarantee of supplies to European markets.<ref name=youngs>
{{cite book
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-9JKX0gWET0C&pg=PA104
|title= Energy security: Europe's new foreign policy challenge
|first1 = Richard | last1 = Youngs
|publisher= [[Taylor & Francis]]
|series = Routledge advances in European politics
|volume = 53
|year=2009
|pages = 104–105
|isbn= 978-0-415-47804-5}}
</ref>

The objectives of the initiative are harmonisation of legal and technical standards so as to create a functioning integrated energy market in accordance with EU and international legal and regulatory frameworks; increasing the safety and security of energy supplies by extending and modernising existing infrastructure; substituting old and inefficient power generation infrastructures with environmentally friendly power generation infrastructures; developing new infrastructures and implementing a modern monitoring system of their operation; improvement of energy supply and demand management through the integration of efficient and sustainable energy systems; and promoting the financing of commercially and environmentally viable energy projects of common interest. A road map to achieve these objectives was adopted at the Astana Ministerial Conference.<ref name=icbss/><ref name=henderson/><ref name=amineh>
{{cite book
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=A7nDoY6DpLgC&pg=PA85
|title= The Globalization of Energy: China and the European Union
|first1 = Medhi | last1 = Amineh
|first2 = Guang | last2 = Yang
|first3 = Yang | last3 = Guang
|publisher= [[Brill Publishers|BRILL]]
|series = International Comparative Social Studies
|volume = 21
|year=2010
|pages=85; 87
|isbn= 978-90-04-18112-0}}
</ref><ref name=youngs/><ref name=ens/> The road map lists following priorities:
* Enhancing energy security addressing demand, supply and transit;
* Supporting sustainable energy development;
* Attracting investment;
* Converging of energy markets on the basis of EU internal energy market principles.<ref name=denison/><ref name=prange>
{{cite conference
|url=http://www.prange-gstoehl.eu/Heiko/Data/A%20ring%20of%20friends....pdf
|title='A ring of friends...'? EU external energy policy and regulatory boundary shifting towards its eastern neighbourhood
|first1=Heiko
|last1=Prange
|conference=6th CEEISA Convention "Global and Regional Governance – European Perspectives and Beyond"
|location=[[Wroclaw]]
|date=24–26 May 2007
|page=6
|format=PDF
|accessdate=10 August 2011
|deadurl=yes
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304133640/http://www.prange-gstoehl.eu/Heiko/Data/A%20ring%20of%20friends....pdf
|archivedate=4 March 2016
|df=dmy
}}
</ref>

These activities were financed through the [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development]] and the [[European Investment Bank]].<ref name=youngs/>

===Transport===
According to the EU Transport Directorate, 'The Baku Initiative aims to give an impulse to Trans-European transport cooperation on the basis of the mutual interest for the progressive integration of their respective transport networks and markets in accordance with EU and international legal and regulatory frameworks. It provides a supportive framework for TRACECA to foster the reflection on the cooperation between the EU-Black Sea/Caspian littoral States and their Neighbours, and to ensure the consistency with the EU priorities in the context of its Neighbourhood Policy.

Following the conclusions reached at the EU-Caspian region Transport Ministerial Conference on 14 November 2004 in Baku, 4 expert working groups have been created (aviation, security in all modes of transport, road and rail transport, transport infrastructure).'<ref name="Baku Initiative"/>

Following the Sofia meeting in 2006, a fifth working group was added, dealing with maritime transport.

==Partner countries of the Baku Initiative==
The partner countries of the energy aspects of the Baku Initiative are:<ref name=tonus/><ref name=gheorghe/><ref name=ens/>

{{columns-list|3|
* {{Flagu|Armenia}}
* {{Flagu|Azerbaijan}}
* {{Flagu|Belarus}}
* {{Flagu|Georgia}}
* {{Flagu|Kazakhstan}}
* {{Flagu|Kyrgyzstan}}
* {{Flagu|Moldova}}
* {{Flagu|Russian Federation}} (observer status only)
* {{Flagu|Tajikistan}}
* {{Flagu|Turkey}}
* {{Flagu|Turkmenistan}}
* {{Flagu|Ukraine}}
* {{Flagu|Uzbekistan}}
}}

The partners for transport issues are as above, without Russia, but with, additionally, Romania and Bulgaria.

==Structure==
The European Union follows the progress of the Baku Initiative through the [[European Commission]] (Directorate General for Transport & Energy; Directorate General for External Relations, and EuropeAid Cooperation Office). The [[INOGATE]] Technical Secretariat (which is located in [[Kiev]], with a regional office in [[Tbilisi]] covering the [[Caucasus]]) co-ordinates the energy aspects on behalf of the Commission and the [[TRACECA]] Secretariat, (which is located in Baku with a regional office in [[Odessa]]) performs the same function for the transport aspects.<ref name=talus>
{{cite book
| last = Talus | first = Kim
| title = Vertical Natural Gas Transportation Capacity, Upstream Commodity Contracts and EU Competition Law
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=lZ5F4cs_OJ8C&pg=PA29
| year = 2011
| publisher = [[Kluwer Law International]]
| isbn = 978-90-411-3407-3
| page = 29}}
</ref>

==Critics==
Some experts, e.g. Frank Umbach of Centre for European Security Strategies, have criticised the Baku Initiative and other policies towards the Caspian region for concentrating too much on the technical cooperation instead of seeking a more strategic long-term cooperation.<ref name=umbach>
{{cite book
| last = Umbach | first = Frank
| editor1-last = Dellecker | editor1-first = Adrian
| editor2-last = Gomart | editor2-first = Thomas
| title = Russian Energy Security and Foreign Policy
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=PBKcc2QtDxQC&pg=PA27
| chapter = Energy security in Eurasia. Clashing interests
| year = 2011
| publisher= [[Taylor & Francis]]
| isbn = 978-1-136-72423-7
| page = 27}}
</ref>

==See also==
* [[INOGATE]]
* [[TRACECA]]
* [[Energy policy of the European Union]]
* [[Transport in the European Union]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/international/regional/caspian/energy_en.htm Baku Initiative (European Commission (DG TREN))]
* [http://ec.europa.eu/transport/international/regional_cooperation/caucasus_central-asia_en.htm Baku Initiative (Transport)]
* [http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/international/regional/caspian/doc/2006_11_30_astana_conclusions.pdf Ministerial Declaration on Enhanced energy co-operation between the EU, the Littoral States of the Black and Caspian Seas and their neighbouring countries], 30 November 2006, Astana
* [http://www.inogate.org/en/news/16-july-2006-results-of-the-2nd-meeting-of-the-working-groups-in-2006-on-the-2018baku-initiative2019/?searchterm=Baku%20Initiative Results of the 2nd Meeting of the Working Groups in 2006 on the ‘Baku Initiative’], INOGATE Secretariat, 16 July 2006

[[Category:Energy policies and initiatives of the European Union]]
[[Category:International energy organizations]]
[[Category:Transport and the European Union]]
[[Category:Energy in Azerbaijan]]
[[Category:Energy in Armenia]]
[[Category:Energy in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Energy in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Energy in Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Energy in Moldova]]
[[Category:Energy in Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Energy in Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Energy in Romania]]
[[Category:Energy in Turkey]]
[[Category:Energy in Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Energy in Ukraine]]
[[Category:Transport in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Transport in Azerbaijan]]
[[Category:Transport in Armenia]]
[[Category:Transport in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Transport in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Transport in Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Transport in Moldova]]
[[Category:Transport in Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Transport in Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Transport in Romania]]
[[Category:Transport in Turkey]]
[[Category:Transport in Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Transport in Ukraine]]
[[Category:European Commission projects]]

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InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 1 as dead. #IABot (v1.2.5)