The Romanian Energy Center association
Since its establishment in 2011, the Romanian Energy Center association (CRE) has established itself as one of the main platforms for dialog between the energy industry environment, the Romanian competent authorities and the relevant institutions at European Union level. CRE develops complex activities of representing the Romanian energy sector and promotes the interests of its members, in alignment with the values of the European Union regarding the concern for climate change, the decarbonization, decentralization and the digitalization of the energy industry. Today, the CRE members represent companies throughout the value chain of the energy industry: production and generation, transmission and distribution, energy service providers, technology and design, IT&C, both in the gas and oil and electricity sectors.
CRE combines the activity of representing its members with research and innovation, as the association is a partner in 10 “Horizon 2020” projects. The projects contribute to the widespread take-up of digitization by developing innovative solutions and new products capable of strengthening the European energy system, as well as to the development of a smart grid with input of up to 100% renewable energy: SUCCESS, RESERVE, WISEGRID, NRG5, CROSSBOW, SOGNO, PHOENIX, TRINITY, EDDIEand EDGEFLEX. The association’s contribution is recognized by the European Commission, which places CRE among the top 10 Romanian organizations that have benefited from European financing.
We are going through a period of great challenge for humanity – the health crisis and its economic effects leave a heavy legacy of next year. This is why, CRE will develop the relationship with the members in order to develop a coherent plan of actions and events specifically dedicated to the needs and interests of each member.
The Romanian energy sector has the potential, knowledge and resources needed to establish a regional leadership role, and CRE association, through the energy diplomacy and representation activity that it has developed, can attract and connect with other regional players, value- or goal-aligned associates. In addition, building on the experience gained and using the opportunities generated by the current crisis, CRE can, for the benefit of its members, promote the Romanian energy industry at the wider regional level and play a role in regenerating beneficial cooperative connections from the past. It can reinvigorate business relations that contribute to the development and consolidation of the energy business environment in Romania through partnerships and commercial relations.
In relation to the European institutions, CRE has a well-recognized position, with the support, in past events and initiatives, of Commissioners for Energy and Climate Kadri Simson, Miguel Arias Cañete and Günther Oettinger, European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, as well as many Romanian and European politicians and diplomats. In developing this presence, CRE aims to use the beginning of the European mandate to strengthen the existing relations, to create new opportunities in the context of the response to the current health and economic crisis, as well as to use both the position gained and the potential of Romanian presence in the European Parliament and the European Commission, as well as other key institutions for industry.
At national level, CRE has always been a resource of competence and professionalism for the authorities. The presence in public debates on the general or specialized legal and regulatory framework will continue to be a key objective for the CRE team, for which it will also work in fairness and balance in the coming period.
The year 2020 is in the midst of the health and economic crisis caused by the new COVID-19 coronavirus, with CRE working hard to promote crisis management solutions and measures and to identify methods for post-crisis recovery. Thus, we have organized a series of webinars with the members and partners of the association, which have encouraged open dialog between stakeholders and the exposure of best practice on crisis management measures and post-crisis recovery. CRE also coordinated the development of a document on short-term crisis management measures COVID-19, as well as on medium and long-term post-crisis recovery, to which the 10 most representative associations from the Romanian energy sector joined. The document, organized from the point of view of the entire national energy industry, was forwarded to all the competent authorities.
In 2021 we will maintain the COVID-19 crisis management effort, intensify the dialog between the CRE members and the competent authorities and seek to solidify the role of the association as a hub, between member companies and national institutions, as well as the bridge between the national energy sector and European counterparts.
Of course, the multitude of challenges our industry has to face brings for each representative organization a wide range of options for action. However, a successful association must be pragmatic in promoting the legitimate interests of its members. The following years will represent for the associative environment in Romania the time of truth, the time of resolutions! The romantic period ends with the crisis we are experiencing, and only those organizations that have capable and determined leadership will manage to represent their members correctly, while they will use their membership in such associations in beneficial interests for the industry.