Decision time for improved gas transmission information
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This Thursday, EU Member States will vote on amendments to the EU
Gas Regulation. If agreed, the new text will require Transmission
System Operators throughout Europe to provide better information on
the status, capacity and use of Europe’s international gas pipes.
As long ago as the 2008 Madrid Gas Forum, all gas market participants agreed that
improved fundamental data transparency is necessary for the development of an
effective, efficient and integrated European gas market. EFET(1), OGP(2), Eurelectric,
EUROGAS, GEODE(3) and CEDEC(4) presented proposals to improve transparency
and called for these to be made legally binding. Other associations including IFIEC(5)
and ERGEG6 supported this objective.
The European Commission responded positively by developing proposals to amend
Chapter 3 of the Annex to the Regulation (EC) No 1775/20057. The set of
amendments suggested by the European Commission were discussed by the new
EU Gas Committee at its meeting on 18 December 2009 and are on the agenda for a
final vote at their next meeting tomorrow, 24 March 2010.
”Market participants have been seeking these information improvements for many
years and it is now in the hands of Member States to deliver the necessary EU
legislation”, said Colin Lyle, Chairman of the EFET Gas Committee. “We strongly
encourage the Member States to vote for the European Commission’s proposals.
Further dilution of the information requirements, or delay in implementation after all
this time would be a travesty.”
EFET wants information to be available on a real-time basis, so that market
participants can take effective commercial decisions and the EU gas transmission
systems can be operated more efficiently. Improvements in transparency will also
benefit consumers if the new rules are adopted and implemented across the EU.
“It is crucial there is a basic level of transparency across the EU gas market. This
can only be delivered through robust legally binding requirements and Member
States must now take this opportunity to improve the EU gas market”, added Cemil
Altin, Leader of the EFET Gas Information Project Group.
For further information, please contact:
Ilaria Conti:
Ilaria.Conti@efet.org Tel. +32 485 613 773
Colin Lyle:
(1) The European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET)promotes and facilitates European energy trading in open, transparent and liquid wholesale markets, unhindered by national borders or other undue obstacles. EFET currently represents more than 90 energy trading companies, active in over 27 European countries. For more information: www.efet.org
(2) OGP: Association of Oil and Gas Producers
(3) GEODE: European Group of Energy Distribution Companies and Organizations
(4) CEDEC: European Federation of Local Energy companies
(5) IFIEC: International Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers;
(6) ERGEG: European Energy Regulators
(7) See EFET Press release of 10th Dec 09 at
http://www.efet.org/Press_Room/Press_Statements_2006_-_today_4833.aspx?url...