Nine countries, one region: a first-of-its-kind political economy study on the barriers to an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable energy transition in SEE and how to overcome them. The study offers understanding of the interplay of private and public interest in energy, and highlights the lack of political courage to tackle mine closure and just transition. Focusing on transposing and implementing EU rules affecting the energy sector, the authors give dommendable actions for a bottom-up and top-down approach, strengthening the overall rule of law and benefiting from the regional synergies and cooperation.