How Has Coronavirus outbreak affected Regional Energy Integration? Lessons and Recommendations for Iran

Making an agreement between Iran and an integrated countries bloc like Shanghai Cooperation Organization or Eurasian Economic Union to boost energy trade is considered as an efficient factor to improve multilateralism and regionalism of Iranian economy. However, the outbreak of COVID-۱۹ has had caused serious and unprecedented consequences on globalization and regionalization. This research seeks to find out the relationship between COVID۱۹ and regional energy integration for two cases of South Asia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). To estimate the coefficients of variables, the panel data framework based on quarterly data over ۲۰۱۰Q۱-۲۰۲۰Q۲ is employed. The major results reveal that the COVID۱۹ pandemic is found to be a serious challenge for regional energy integration in these two unions, particularly the integration of larger economies which are more developed and have a higher level of trade liberalization are disturbed by this pandemic. A policy implication based on the conclusions is that Iran may try to make regional energy integration with its neighbors and trading partners. However, to reduce the long-run negative impacts of pandemic, Iran and its energy trade partners should make a plan to determine types and magnitudes of negative impacts of pandemic, regulating monetary and fiscal policies to encounter with the negative influences. To the best of author’s knowledge, despite some earlier researches, there is not any existing literature focusing on how the Corona affects the economic integration. Therefore, this paper tries to fill in this literature gap.

Keywords:

COVID۱۹ , Energy integration , The Eurasian Economic Union , South Asia , Iran