Prior to Turkeys severe economic difficulties in 2001, the countrys energy consumption and net imports had been growing rapidly. Assuming that the Turkish economy and energy demand return to a rapid growth path, Turkey will require billions of dollars worth of investments in coming years. In 2001, Turkey ratified the Energy Charter Treaty, the international legal framework for energy investment. Also, in early 2001, the Turkish parliament passed an energy liberalization law aimed at ending the governments monopoly in the energy sector, and also geared towards attracting foreign energy investment. In December 2003, parliament passed legislation liberalizing the countrys energy sector. In February 2004, the government raised taxes on unleaded Gasoline, diesel, and Natural Gas as part of a move towards boosting budget revenues in line with IMF recommendations. In November 2004, two former Turkish energy ministers, Cumhur Ersumer and Zeki Cakan, went on trial for corruption in awarding natural gas and power projects. In April 2005, the International Energy Agency (IEA) issued a report on Turkey which said that Turkey has taken steps to implement energy market reforms which have resulted in clear and significant benefits. Now, continued action is needed to see the process through to a successful conclusion. The IEA elaborated that Turkey needs to restructure the state-owned enterprises...create independent electricity and gas operators and to remove cross-subsidies from electricity and gas prices. The IEA report follows an October 2004 European Commission assessment of Turkey, in which the Commission called on Turkey to continue liberalizing the countrys energy sector in line with the single European energy market, and recognized Turkeys role as an important Oil and gas transit center. As part of the Turkeys efforts to join the European Union (EU), the country has incorporated numerous EU energy laws and standards into its own national energy legislation. In addition, Turkey has ratified the Kyoto Protocol on global climate change.