The Energy Community is an international organisation which brings together the European Union and its neighbours to create an integrated pan-European energy market. The organisation was founded by the Treaty establishing the Energy Community signed in October 2005 in Athens, Greece, in force since July 2006. The key objective of the Energy Community is to extend the EU internal energy market rules and principles to countries in South East Europe, the Black Sea region and beyond on the basis of a legally binding framework. As of October 2013, the Energy Community has nine members: the European Union and eight Contracting Parties - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine. Georgia, Armenia, Norway and Turkey participate as Observers. Georgia is presently in the process of joining the Energy Community as a full-fledged member.