Articles related to "Liberalising the EU energy sector"

The European Commission's energy market communication, to be published on 15 November, indicates that there are major obstacles to the implementation of the internal energy market by the target date, 2014, writes Georg Zachmann.

EU plans to build an 'energy community' to deal with the challenge of climate change, security of supply and competitiveness are "as full of risks as […] hopes" given the "violent conflicts of interest and prejudices" involved, according to Philippe Herzog, president of French think tank Confrontations Europe.

Introducing liberalisation as a way to decrease prices was a communication mistake, says Antoine Pellion, in a paper for the Robert Schuman Foundation. It is crucial to take a long-term assessment of the benefits of opening European electricity markets to competition, he claims.

This report by the Energy Charter Secretariat analyses the development of international oil and gas markets in the UK, North America and continental Europe.

The European Commission wants to enforce the EU's single energy market laws "as a matter of priority", according to a draft communication that states the EU Executive's determination to create a barrier-free market-place, which has angered dominant gas supplier Russia.

SPECIAL REPORT / Brussels grandees claimed that the liberalisation of Europe’s energy sector would take the edge off electricity bills but as the EU prepares to evaluate the policy three years on, unease about its benefit for consumers shows no sign of abating.

New rules to monitor trading and prevent abuses in European wholesale energy markets were approved by EU lawmakers on Wednesday (14 September), in a move which MEPs said would help bring down prices for consumers.

European consumers should be able to switch to the cheapest energy supplier more easily, EU energy ministers said at a meeting last Friday (3 December).

Amid growing demand for natural gas, politicians are being urged to improve networks as a regional approach to cross-border connections is still "sadly missing," industry representatives told a Brussels conference on Wednesday (24 February).

The EU's new Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) will be located in Ljubljana, Slovenia, ministers decided yesterday evening (6 December).

European policymakers, consumer groups and energy industry representatives have endorsed a set of voluntary guidelines for good practice in energy billing, in an attempt to placate dissatisfied customers.

European energy market integration is happening, albeit slowly, Lord John Mogg, president of the European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG), argued in an interview with EurActiv Czech Republic.

The European Commission said it will launch an investigation into the "malfunctioning" EU electricity market this year, following the publication of a survey yesterday (2 February) revealing that the energy, banking and transport sectors are "underperforming" for consumers.

The European Commission closed an antitrust case against E.ON AG Wednesday (26 November) by formally accepting the German energy giant's commitment to selling a fifth of its power generation capacity along with its extra-high voltage distribution network.

A new survey has found that energy consumers are "still in the dark and cold" despite the European Commission's energy market liberalisation agenda, which was supposed to drive down costs and provide more choice for citizens. 

50% of global electricity supplies will need to come from renewable energy sources by the middle of the century if mankind is to avert the most serious effects of climate change, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The merger of French energy companies Gaz de France and Suez has created a new national 'champion', triggering accusations of protectionism from some of the country's neighbours. But the Commission expects the new giant to respect its obligations under EU competition law.

EU energy ministers bowed to pressure from France and Germany at a meeting on Friday, agreeing on a "general approach" to opening gas and electricity markets that prevents integrated firms such as EDF and E.ON from selling off their transmission grids.

Energy ministers from the 27 member states are meeting today (6 June) in an attempt to reach a compromise over plans to force more competition onto EU energy markets - otherwise they risk delaying any decision until 2010.

The Commission should envisage greater powers for a new regulatory agency in its proposals on EU energy market liberalisation, according to MEPs in Parliament's Industry (ITRE) Committee. 

As the EU’s energy liberalisation drive heats up, European consumers may be wondering when and in what shape the EU's new energy policy will begin to transform the way energy is produced and consumed, and if the change will mean lower prices or higher industry profits.

A Franco-German alternative to the Commission's electricity market liberalisation proposal was rejected by a narrow margin yesterday (6 May) during a key vote in Parliament's Industry Committee. MEPs also voted against a Commission substitute plan to put in place a strict regulatory regime policed by an Independent System Operator (ISO).

The European Commission has put forward detailed conditions for national champions in France and Germany to retain ownership of energy transmission assets in an attempt to strike a compromise over its controversial proposals to open up gas and electricity markets.

The European Court of Justice has ruled against Spain's energy regulator, which previously succeeded in blocking a takeover attempt of Endesa by Germany's E.ON. Meanwhile, Brussels has said it will take a closer look at a blocked merger in Hungary's oil and gas sector.  

Energy ministers from the 27 EU member states held a "lively discussion" on the Commission's controversial proposal to split up energy firms, agreeing only to send the matter back to diplomats in view of a deal in June.

Despite its initially cool reaction, the Commission has signalled it could accept an alternative proposal on energy liberalisation as long as further safeguards are introduced. The alternative, to be officially unveiled by France and Germany this week, would allow large power companies to maintain ownership and limited control over transmission assets.

Consensus is growing among a wide range of stakeholders to reinforce the powers of a proposed new European agency to regulate energy markets, it emerged from a Parliament hearing. But opinions still differ sharply in Brussels about the need to break up the EU's largest energy firms as a means of boosting competition.

France and Germany will this week respond to the Commission's proposals for further EU energy market liberalisation. The alternative plan, seen by EurActiv, would keep oversight of energy production and transmission firmly within national boundaries in an effort to allow large energy firms to cling to their assets. 

The Commission and the Portuguese Presidency have asked EU countries opposed to proposals on 'ownership unbundling' in the electricity and gas sector to come up with detailed alternatives, as energy ministers prepare for a potentially tense meeting on 3 December.

EU competition authorities have told energy firms they can in future avoid certain anti-trust cases by limiting long-term gas and electricity supply contracts, following a 'blueprint' deal between the Commission and Belgium's Distrigas.

A new battle has begun over the next round of energy liberalisation. Commission proposals to complete the EU's internal market for gas and electricity are leaving France and Germany in a quandary, with EDF and E.ON facing either the dismantling of their transmission assets or tight regulatory restrictions.

Administrative and technical barriers as well as excessive costs and delays present larger barriers to local electricity producers than the ownership structure of EU energy markets, according to experts who debated the issue in Brussels yesterday (13 September 2007).

A proposal to further liberalise the EU's energy market, due on 19 September, is to present member states with alternative options to full 'ownership unbundling' in an effort to ward off a veto threat from nine countries led by Germany and France, EU officials have told EurActiv.

Strict regulation of electricity and gas prices may be part of the Commission's upcoming proposal on energy market liberalisation, according to the German newspaper Handelsblatt, which obtained a leaked draft of the proposal.

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation against German energy giant E.ON and Gaz de France for allegedly agreeing to keep out of one another's home market, thereby thwarting competition and keeping prices artificially high.

The market opening of network industries, such as telecommunications, transport and energy has benefited consumers by putting pressure on service providers to keep their costs and prices down, according to a report by the European Commission.

A Commission initiative to launch an Energy Consumers' Charter has run into criticism from consumer groups who argue that its non-binding character will not be enough to stop borderline commercial practices.

On the occasion of the official liberalisation of EU electricity and gas markets on 1 July, a renewable-energy group has complained to the Commission and European Energy Regulators that a lack of transparency and blocked access to energy grids are preventing them from competing on the market. 

Quasi-monopolistic structures across most EU countries are leaving small businesses with no real choice of supplier as energy markets prepare for full liberalisation on 1 July, warns UEAPME, the European small-business organisation.

The Commission is preparing legislation on 'ownership unbundling' to separate energy generation and supply activities from network operation despite opposition from France and Germany, EU officials indicated.

Diplomats in Brussels were unable to make substantial progress on the Commission's proposed energy package, leaving crucial issues such as market liberalisation for ministers to debate at a meeting next week.

The European Commission has slapped a record 750 million euro fine on a group of heavy power-gear suppliers, including Germany's Siemens AG, in a bid to secure genuine competition in EU electricity markets.

Presenting the final results of an inquiry into the EU's energy markets, anti-trust chief Neelie Kroes said that Europeans are losing out because of inefficient and expensive gas and electricity markets. She promised tougher action.

The official launch of a common energy policy in March will be a tricky task for Germany as it faces criticisms over its reluctance to open up gas and electricity markets and for going it alone on relations with Russia.

New EU legislation that would split power distribution from network ownership are being resisted by France and Germany amid a growing body of reports calling for full 'ownership unbundling'.

The conditions imposed by energy regulator CNE over German energy giant E.ON are illegal, the Commission ruled on 26 September.

Artificially created national champions may have short-term appeal but are often to the long-term detriment of European consumers and competitiveness, the EU's competition commissioner has said.

After the takeover squabbles and fierce debates surrounding national sovereignty issues, the EU is now facing a number of key decisions that will reveal its true resolve in shaping a common energy policy.

A new report by Ernst & Young identifies corporate requirements to carry out the large-scale infrastructure programmes needed to diversify Europe's energy mix and bring forward alternatives to gas.

Stepping up the Commission's push to open competition in EU energy markets, EU anti-trust staff have made unannounced visits to 20 sites of energy utilities such as E.ON and Gaz de France. 

The EU antitrust regulator gave its go ahead to E.ON's €29.1 billion bid for Endesa, upping the pressure on Spanish authorities not to block the German utility's bid.

Heads of state agree to further cooperation on external policy and consider increasing the share of renewable energies in a summit where cross-border mergers and energy protectionism issues were avoided.

On the eve of an EU summit dominated by energy issues and controversial mergers, competition commissioner Neelie Kroes warns of "further measures" if energy liberalisation if not fully followed through.

The Commission's ideas on a common EU energy policy include full market opening, external relations and renewable energies as key options. However, it shies away from stepping into national energy choices, such as nuclear.

Concentration in the energy sector highlighted by the planned GdF-Suez merger in France run counter to the EU vision of a liberalised market where operators compete to offer cheap energy to their customers, critics warn.

Italian politicians have lashed out at France's "economic patriotism" after PM Dominique de Villepin swiftly wrapped-up a defensive merger between Suez and Gaz de France over the weekend to block an expected bid by Enel.