Brussels - The new seat of the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) will be in Slovenia's capital Ljubljana, EU energy ministers decided at their meeting in Brussels on Sunday. Slovenia won by receiving 15 votes, Slovakia failed getting the second place with 11 votes.

The idea to set up the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators was given the green light in April 2009. Three EU states - Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - proposed their capitals Bucharest, Bratislava and Ljubljana for hosting of the new energy body.

The agency's establishment is part of the European Commission's ambition to further liberalise EU energy markets and streamline cross-border cooperation for gas and electricity transmission between member states.

(Slovakia Today, compiled from press reports)