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1 1 (April 26, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govedco0001 and id is 1 raw text is: S I Sesesrok Service inirig Ii I 111 ti rbfl~n ~Pi4 Updated April 26, 2021 The Three Seas Initiative The Three Seas Initiative (3SI) is a regional effort in Europe to expand cross-border energy, transportation, and digital infras tructure and boost economic development in the area between the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, and Black Sea. Twelve countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia), all of which are members of the European Union (EU), participatein the 3SI (see Figure 1). The U.S. government, including some Members of Congress, have indicated strong backing for the 3SI. In November 2020, the House of Representatives passed a bipartis an resolution expressing support of the Three Seas Initiative in its efforts to increase energy independence and infrastructure connectivity thereby strengthening the United States and Europeannational security (H.Res.672, 116th Congres s). Officials fromthe Biden Administration and the Trump Administration have expressed diplomatic support for the 3SI, and high-level U.S. officials (including then- President Trump in 2017) have joined its annual summits. Initiative Overview The Three Seas Initiative was launched in 2015 by the presidents of Croatia and Poland, and the first annual summit was held in 2016. The 3SI is structured as a flexible platformfor generating funding andpromoting deeper cooperation among its participating countries; an overarching goalis to develop a north-south infrastructure corridor in the region. In part as a legacy of the Soviet Union's Cold War-era dominance over most of the region, east-west infrastructure remains considerably more developed than north-south linkages. Particularly with regard to energy security, thedominanceofeast-west pipelines and limited alternatives to themhave been factors in continuing energy dependence on Rus sia. The United States and the 3SIcountries frequently have expres sed concern over Russia's energy supply dominance in the region. Such concerns have increased with the construction of Nord Stream2 and TurkStream, pipeline projects that would expand Rus sia's capacity to delivernatural gas to Europe. Many observers consider the expansion of energy infrastructure, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, necessary for opening up new routes for alternative suppliers. Supporters also view the 3SI as a potential counterbalance to China's interest in participating in regional infrastructureprojects as part ofits global Belt and Road Initiative. Another objective of the 3SIis to stimulate economic development and reduceregional disparities within the EU. According to EU data, the 3SIregion remains les s well-off economically compared with the rest of the EU; the 3SI countries together comprise just under 30% of EU territory and 22% of its population but account for 10% of the EU's gross domestic product (the EU data predate Brexit and so include the United Kingdom). Infrastructure gaps are considered a factor behind regional economic disparities. According to EUdata, road andrailtravelin the 3SI region take, on average, roughly two to four times longer than comparable travelin the rest of the EU. Figure 1. Three Seas Initiative Countries Participating in the Three Seas Initiative Source: Map created by CRS. High-levelofficials from the United States, the EU, and other EU member states, such as Germany, have joined annual 3SI summits to express their support as interested partners. The next summit is expected to beheld in 2021 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Priority Projects and Financing Mechanisms At the 2018 summit, the 3SI countries developed a list of 48 priority interconnection projects spanning the energy, transportation, and digital sectors (see Table 1). ://crsreports.congre;

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