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On Sunday (Dec. 6 2009) in Brussels, the EU ministers responsible for energy, gathered at a working dinner, decided that Slovenia would be the seat of the new Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). Besides Ljubljana, the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and the Romanian capital of Bucharest had presented their candidature. "This is an important day for Slovenia, which for the first time will become the seat of an European agency, of an agency which is extremely important for the future operation of European energy regulators," said the Slovenian Minister of the Economy, Matej Lahovnik, after learning the news.

Mr Lahovnik added that Slovenia would do everything possible to ensure a favourable and stable environment for the operation of the Agency and a warm welcome to the Agency's staff in Ljubljana. He continued by saying that the successful candidature was the result of well coordinated Slovenian diplomacy, involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Economy, and the Prime Minister and his staff. It is also, said Mr Lahovnik, proof that Slovenia carries weight in Brussels and will be successful, despite its small territory, owing to its adequate expertise in the area of energy.

The issue of the seat of the Agency, established by the so-called third energy package on the liberalisation of the energy market in the European Union, had been on the agenda of meetings of EU energy ministers several times, but a decision had not been reached. On Sunday, the decision was the result of two rounds of voting. In the first round Bucharest received the least votes and renounced its candidature, and Ljubljana with 11 votes and Bratislava with 8 votes went to the second round, where Ljubljana received 15 votes and Bratislava 11. In compliance with a previous agreement, Bratislava renounced its candidature and the decision to locate the seat of the Agency in Ljubljana was adopted. The decision will be formally confirmed at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council today.

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