On 8 November 2017, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Energy of Romania will organize in Bucharest, in cooperation with the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation on Energy Projects 16+1, the Ministerial Conference on Energy Cooperation in the China – Central and Eastern European Countries ("16+1") format. The event will be followed by the 16+1 Energy Fair, which will take place between 8 and 10 November 2017.

These are the first events dedicated to energy cooperation in the 16+1 format, supported by the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation on Energy Projects 16+1 (CDCEP 16+1), established in October 2016 based on Romania's contribution to 16+1, endorsed by the 16+1 Summit in Riga, in November 2016.

The agenda of the Conference, to be attended by ministers and officials from the states participating in the cooperation format, will focus on identifying joint opportunities to advance cooperation in energy-related projects within the 16+1 format, while taking account of the regional dynamics,goals and challenges in the energy field. The Conference will be honored by the presence of a Chinese delegation led by Mr. Nur Bekri, Vice-President of the National Development and Reform Commission and Director of the National Energy Administration of the People's Republic of China.

The 16+1 Energy Fair aims at providing opportunities to energy companies and stakeholders from the 16+1 member countries to take part in an effective networking event,designed to exchange views and foster business initiatives in the energy field.Participation in the Fair includes top level executives from 30 of the biggest Chinese energy companies, representatives of the Romanian energy companies, as well as of energy firms from states in Central and Eastern Europe.

Additional information:

• China – Central and Eastern European Countries (China – CEEC/"16+1") is a cooperation format initiated in 2011, in the context of the visit of then Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to Hungary, when the first reunion in this format took place, with the participation of the Economy and Development Ministers from Central and Eastern European states.

The format pursues the development of the cooperation between the participating countries across a wide range of fields, such as trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, finances, culture and education.

The European participating states are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia and Hungary.

• The Center for Dialogue and Cooperation on Energy Projects 16+1 (CDCEP 16+1) was established in October 2016, as a Romanian initiative within the 16+1 format, to provide a dynamic networking platform for advancing cooperation in the field of energy between the partner countries.

Alongside existing bilateral agreements in the field, the CDCEP 16+1 aims to build on the current agendas and strategies for energy cooperation between Europe and the People's Republic of China, by extending the regulatory, commercial and technological good practices in a wide range of fields, like renewable energy, smart grids, energy efficiency, clean coal, nuclear energy etc.

The activity of the CDCEP 16+1 is coordinated by The Romanian Energy Center (CRE).