North Macedonia is stepping up preparations for full integration into the European Union’s electricity market, drawing heavily on the experience and guidance of the Greek energy regulator to align more rapidly with EU standards.
The cooperation framework links North Macedonia’s energy regulator, RKE, with Greece’s RAAEY. Through technical workshops and advisory exchanges, the Greek side provides practical guidance on the institutional and legal adjustments necessary for integration into the European energy framework.
Following the adoption of a new Energy Law, North Macedonia’s regulator formed multidisciplinary teams of engineers, economists, and legal experts tasked with drafting secondary legislation. These measures aim to harmonize domestic rules with EU legislation, a key step for connecting the national electricity market first to regional platforms and eventually to the broader EU market. Greek representatives shared regulatory milestones and coordination mechanisms from their own integration process, emphasizing the importance of transparency and close collaboration among stakeholders.
The partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in February last year between the two regulators. The agreement formalized years of informal collaboration and established a systematic knowledge transfer across energy, water, and waste management sectors.
Officials from both countries describe the arrangement as a strategic step for strengthening regional cooperation in the Balkans. Beyond electricity market integration, the partnership is expected to expand into natural gas and petroleum product regulation. Experts note that deeper regulatory alignment could enhance supply security, improve cross-border system coordination, and support modernization of public utilities. Harmonization with EU standards is seen as a critical component of North Macedonia’s broader accession process, linking market reform with its long-term European integration goals.
