Pilot Countries
Albania
In 2025, the SECO-financed SEMP (Smart Energy Municipalities Project) in Albania focused on implementing the eea-based Energy Management System. The four pilot municipalities of Shkodra, Berat, Korca, and Permet officially joined the eea Association, additional 16 cities prepared the eea process with setting up Municipal Energy Management Units and collecting data.
Romania
The Romanian eea program involves nine active cities. The years 2024/2025 mark a transition to new governance. After the completion of the Horizon2020 project EXCITE, the Ministry of European Projects and the Association of Regional Development Agencies in Romania took over responsibility.
The eea program will become part of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Program 2025-2029, financed by the Swiss Confederation.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Ukraine (LEEAN-CET project)
The LEEAN-CET project strengthens sustainable local governance in Central and Southeast Europe by introducing the European Energy Award (eea) in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Ukraine. It supports local and regional authorities in developing effective clean energy transition plans, with a focus on smaller municipalities, rural areas, and carbon‑intensive regions. Through targeted assistance to 30 pilot municipalities, the project will train over 300 experts, establish or update clean energy action plans, and prepare investment concepts worth at least 60 million euros. By adapting the eea methodology, deploying an online energy management tool, and expanding long-term training opportunities, LEEAN-CET aims to create robust and replicable energy management systems across the region.
Ukraine
In 2025, Ukraine made significant progress in introducing the European Energy Award national program through the MEMCU (SECO-funded) and LEEAN-CET (European Union LIFE-funded) projects. Key achievements included the official MEMCU project launching event in Vinnytsia, the selection of candidate eea consultants and their initial training to support participating municipalities, the engagement of four competitively selected Regional Development Agencies to extend support at the local and regional levels, and the expansion of the program to 14 new municipalities. Cooperation with national institutions like MinDevelopment and State Agency for Energy Efficiency was strengthened and extensive outreach and training activities were conducted, reaching more than 1,000 participants. These steps laid the institutional and technical foundations for the national rollout of the European Energy Award in Ukraine.