Evolution of the Southern Corridor in the European energy security agenda and policy-making process

Abstract

In the last decade, the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) has captivated the energy agenda and shaped the geopolitics of the Southern and Eastern Europe. The primary rationale behind the SGC's development is an outstanding role this alternative corridor would play in the diversification of gas supply sources and enhancement of energy security in Europe. The current survey attempts to examine the evolution of the SGC initiative in the European energy security architecture and policy making process with a view to give insights on the actor impact prospects in this Corridor's future development. The competition for transportation of the Caspian gas to Europe has explicitly demonstrated that the overwhelming majority of decisions and agreements leading to the opening of SGC was initiated and promoted by state actors. The current survey implies the EU's enormous impetus to initiating, consistent supporting and advancing the Corridor, although its institutional impact on the final decision-making was not decisive. In conclusion, we attempted to elaborate the 'SGC Decision Tree' based on the decision-making model introduced by Richard C. Snyder, one of the pioneers of foreign policy analysis.