Published 2025-07-04
Keywords
- green corridors,
- Green Deal,
- interconnections,
- electricity,
- European Union
How to Cite
Abstract
The concept of the green corridor is gaining increasing attention in both scientific literature and European Union policy analysis, particularly regarding renewable energy interdependence and international trade. EU energy policy has long maintained a strategic focus on its neighbouring regions. The European Green Deal, along with subsequent strategies such as the Competitiveness Compass, has coupled energy and climate objectives with broader foreign policy and industrial ambitions, including the expansion of the acquis communautaire. Among the EU’s most ambitious green corridors, this article examines the proposed Black Sea Submarine Cable project, an electricity interconnection linking the eastern and western shores of the Black Sea. This initiative represents a strategic expansion of European interdependencies in the broader region of the Caucasus and Central Asia—areas of critical importance for the EU’s energy security and transition goals. At the same time, this development invites a reassessment of the very notion of green corridors and the principles underpinning the EU’s energy integration with its external partners.
References
- Argus Media. 2024. “Azerbaijan wants certainty from EU on gas needs.” Argus Media, April 26, 2024. https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2562870-azerbaijan-wants-certainty-from-eu-on-gas-needs.
- Benjamin, Richard. 2007. “Principles for Interregional Transmission Expansion.” The Electricity Journal 20, no. 8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tej.2007.08.005.
- Bochorishvili, Eva and Mariam Chakhvashvili. 2025. “Georgia’s Electricity Market Watch.” Galt & Taggart, February 5, 2025. https://ramad.bog.ge/s3/cms/static/files/c116192f-82c3-419f-81ab-7b6a32843194.PDF.
- Clô Alberto e Francesco Sassi. 2025. “La forza dei nazionalismi energetici e la debolezza dell’Unione.” Energia, no. 1, 2025: 8-10.
- Dayaratna, Kevin et. al. 2025. “Time for U.S. Energy Dominance: Unlocking America’s Oil and Gas Potential through Innovation and Policy.” The Heritage Foundation, January 20, 2025. https://www.heritage.org/energy/report/time-us-energy-dominance-unlocking-americas-oil-and-gas-potential-through-innovation.
- Equinor. 2025. “Equinor fourth quarter and full year 2024 results.” Equinor, February 5, 2025. https://www.equinor.com/news/equinor-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024-results.
- Escribano, Gonzalo. 2012. “Convergence towards Differentiation: The Case of Mediterranean Energy Corridor.” In Esther Barbé, Anna Herranz-Surrallés (editors) The Challenge of Differentiation in EuroMediterranean Relations. London: Routledge.
- EU in Georgia. 2023. “Germany, France, the EU and Georgia sign a new multi-year reform commitment that will support Georgia’s EU ambition in green energy transition.” The European Union in Georgia, November 24, 2023. https://eu4georgia.eu/germany-france-the-eu-and-georgia-sign-a-new-multi-year-reform-commitment-that-will-support-georgias-eu-ambition-in-green-energy-transition/.
- Euractiv. 2025. “Azerbaijan halts gas deliveries to Serbia, Bulgaria.” Euractiv, January 12, 2025. https://www.euractiv.com/section/eet/news/azerbaijan-halts-gas-deliveries-to-serbia-bulgaria/.
- European Commission. 2023a. EU Action Plan for Grids. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
- European Commission. 2023b. Commission Implementing Decision of 11.12.2023 on the financing of the annual action plan in favour of Georgia for 2023. Brussels: European Commission.
- European Commission. 2024a. “Joint statement: 10th ministerial meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and 2nd ministerial meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council” European Commission, March 1, 2024.
- European Commission. 2024b. Quarterly report On European electricity markets 17, no. 3.
- European Commission. 2025a. Communication from The Commission to The European Parliament, The European Council, The Council, The European Economic and Social Committee and The Committee of the Regions. A Competitiveness Compass for the EU. 29.01.2025. Brussels: European Commission.
- European Commission. 2025b. Investment needs of European energy infrastructures enable a decarbonised economy – Final Report, January 2025. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
- European Parliament. 2022. “Regulation (EU) 2022/869”. European Parliament, June 3, 2025.
- European Parliament. 2024. “Hearing of Commissioner-designate Dan Jørgensen”. European Parliament, November 5, 2024.
- Farhat, Eamon. 2025. “German Oil-Fired Generation Surges as Wind Set to Plunge.” Bloomberg, January 14, 2025. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-14/german-oil-fired-generation-surges-as-wind-energy-set-to-plunge.
- Fedajev at al. 2022. “Assessment of Electricity Market Liberalization in CEE Economies: A Multicriteria Approach.” In Syed Abdul Rehman Khan, Mirela Panait and Felix Puime Guillen (editors) Energy Transition: Economic, Social and Environmental Dimensions, Spinger Nature, 165-192. Berlin: Springer.
- Giuashvili, Teona. 2025. “The European Union’s Strategic Test in Georgia.” Ifri Memos, January 27, 2025.
- Government of Georgia. 2021. Georgia’s 2030 Climate Change Strategy.
- GSE. 2024. Georgia-Romania Black Sea Submarine Cable Project Feasibility Study Summary.
- Hajiyev, Hikmet. 2024. “Post su X del 13 novembre.” X, 13 novembre 2024. https://x.com/HikmetHajiyev/status/1856590276585725976.
- IEA. 2024a. World Energy Outlook 2024. France: International Energy Agency (IEA).
- IEA. 2024b. Renewables 2024: Analysis and forecasts to 2030. France: International Energy Agency.
- Indeo, Fabio. 2024. “Green Corridor: la cooperazione energetica tra Azerbaigian e repubbliche centroasiatiche.” Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale (ISPI), 11 Novembre 2024. https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/green-corridor-la-cooperazione-energetica-tra-azerbaigian-e-repubbliche-centroasiatiche-189952.
- Lavenex, Sandra. 2004. “EU external governance in ‘wider Europe’.” Journal of European Public Policy 11, no. 4: 680-700.
- Mañé-Estrada, Aurèlia. 2006. “European energy security: towards the creation of the geo-energy space.” Energy Policy 34, no. 18: 3773-3786.
- Mihai, Catalina. 2024. “Romanian minister: Eastern Europe needs additional energy sources due to high prices.” Euractiv, September 4, 2024. https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/romanian-minister-eastern-europe-needs-additional-energy-sources-due-to-high-prices/.
- Milne, Richard. 2024. “Norway campaigns to cut energy links to Europe as power prices soar.” Financial Times, December 12, 2024. https://www.ft.com/content/f0b621a1-54f2-49fc-acc1-a660e9131740.
- Missirliu, Ana et al. 2024. “COP29 host Azerbaijan climate action ‘Critically insufficient’.” Climate Action Traker (CAT), September 2024.
- Saudi Ministry of Energy. 2024. “The Kingdom Signs an Executive Program for Cooperation in Developing and Transferring Renewable Energy with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, Alongside Several Key Agreements and Memorandums at COP29.” November 13, 2024.
- Spasić, Vladimir. 2024. “Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, Romania establish firm for Black Sea interconnector.” Balkan Green Energy News, September 5, 2024. https://balkangreenenergynews.com/azerbaijan-georgia-hungary-romania-establish-firm-for-black-sea-interconnector/.
- The Economist. 2025. “To make electricity cheaper and greener, connect the world’s grids.” The Economist, January 23, 2025. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/01/23/to-make-electricity-cheaper-and-greener-connect-the-worlds-grids.
- Reed, Stanley. 2025. “Green Energy Ambitions of European Companies Take a Beating.” The New York Times, February 6, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/business/offshore-wind-green-energy.html.
- Özdemir, Özge et al. 2011. “The impact of Large-scale Renewable Integration on Europe’s Energy Corridors.” In 2011 IEEE Trondheim PowerTech, Trondheim, Norway, 1-8. 10.1109/PTC.2011.6019256.
- Gavin, Gabriel and Karl Mathiesen. 2024. “Azerbaijan president: COP29 won’t stop us investing in ‘god-given’ gas.” Politico, April 26, 2024. https://www.politico.eu/article/azerbaijan-president-ilham-aliyev-cop29-climate-change-gas/.
- President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 2021. “Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on approval of ‘Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development’.” February 2, 2021.
- President of Uzbekistan. 2024. “Лидеры Узбекистана, Азербайджана и Казахстана дали старт проекту развития и передачи «зеленой» энергии” (Leaders of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan launch project to develop and transfer green energy). November 13, 2024.
- Reuters. 2024. “Azerbaijan hoping to cut emissions with $2 bln green energy investment.” Reuters, June 5, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/azerbaijan-hoping-cut-emissions-with-2-bln-green-energy-investment-2024-06-05/.
- Jacobsen, Stine. 2025. “Trump halt on offshore wind power leases hits European companies.” Reuters, January 21, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/orsted-shares-down-17-us-project-stumbles-trumps-anti-wind-power-policy-hits-2025-01-21/.
- Sassi, Francesco. 2025. “The (Un)Intended consequences of power: The global implications of EU LNG strategy to reach independence from Russian gas.” Energy Policy 198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114494.
- State of New Jersey. 2025. “New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Statement on New Jersey’s Fourth Offshore Wind Solicitation.” February 3, 2025.
- Timera Energy. 2025. “Impact of German Dunkelflaute on flex asset value.” Timera Energy, January 20, 2025. https://timera-energy.com/blog/impact-of-german-dunkelflaute-on-flex-asset-value/.
- Vajjhala, Shalini et al. 2008. Linking Interregional Transmission Expansion and Renewable Energy Policies. Washington, D.C.: Resources for the Future.
- Van der Linde, Coby. 2007. “The art of managing energy security risks.” European Investment Bank (EIB) Papers 12, no. 1: 50-78.
- Von der Leyen, Ursula. 2022. “President von der Leyen: ‘Black Sea electric cable is a new transmission route full of opportunities’.” European Commission, December 16, 2022.
- Von der Leyen, Ursula. 2025. “Special Address by President von der Leyen at the World Economic Forum.” European Commission, January 21, 2025.
- WindEurope. 2024. “WindEurope and Azerbaijan join forces to accelerate wind energy.” Wind Europe Press releases, March 4, 2024. https://windeurope.org/newsroom/press-releases/windeurope-and-azerbaijan-join-forces-to-accelerate-wind-energy/#:~:text=Through%20this%20collaboration%20the%20parties,development%2C%20both%20onshore%20and%20offshore.