The Bulgarian Petroleum and Gas Association (BPGA) is holding an international conference in Sofia today on energy cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. It opens with the signing of the Sofia Declaration on energy security and competitiveness in the region, which launches an informal regional alliance.

The forum, "Energy Alliance in CEE – Central and Eastern Europe Together for a Competitive and Secure Energy Future", starts at 9:00am at the Grand Hotel Sofia. It is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy. Government officials, energy groups, business leaders and academics are taking part.

Deputy prime minister and minister of economy, investment and industry Alexander Pulev, energy minister Iva Petrova, BPGA chair Svetoslav Benchev and Bulgarian Industrial Association chair Dobri Mitrev will open the event.

Energy groups from Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will sign the declaration. The alliance aims to hold talks with national and European institutions.

Participants will discuss security of supply, the future of the fuel sector and gas infrastructure. They will also discuss how EU rules affect the competitiveness of energy firms and energy prices.