The role of INA d.d. in the supply of the Southeastern European market by fuels in the first decade of the 21st century

Europe is at the bginning of the 21st century characterized by economic and political integrations, as well as by co-ordination of standards and regulations in the area of economy. Especially important is the co-ordination of standards referring to Quality Assurance and environmental protection, Indirectly bearing the greatest impact on the need to develop oil industry. For European refiners, the achievement of the present and especially the future oil fuel quality requirements constitutes the basic precondition for regional market survival. Today, modernizing refinery technological potentials is a necessary condition as well as a serious problem to those European companies that have not conceived and Implemented technological modernization In a timely and proper manner. Today, Southeastern Europe is characterized by intensified refinery modernization after the model of the already achieved modernization in the Western and Central Europe. The intensification has not been encouraged only by the European Union legislation, but also by a powerful market offer of both high quality fuels and modern devices consuming such fuels - especially automobiles. The lower degree of general development and infrastructure condition In the Southeastern European countries, unlike the countries of Western and Central Europe, is responsible for lagging behind, in a certain degree, in the construction of refinery technology for the production of the so called clean fuels, while the range and complexity of such investment endeavors requires at least 3-4 years, as well as a corresponding gradual implementation. INA d.d. corporation, as the so far fuels market leader on the Southeastern European market, has joined the modernization process of its four refineries In an especially active manner, both through making investments into modern process technology and association with a strategic partner - MOL corporation from the neighboring Hungary. INA shall thus not only keep its present market position with around 5 million tons of fuels for the needs of the regional market, making around 60% of the said needs, but shall also be capable of preserving its market position in the future, increasing its offer up to 7 million tons of products. This particular orientation determines Its further role and support on the oil market of Southeastern Europe.