REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
On July 13, 2009, the European Union adopted the 3rd Energy Package as part of the ongoing process of liberalising the European natural gas and electricity markets. It extends the provisions of the first Directive of June 22, 1998 and of the 2nd Directive of June 26, 2003 on the opening up of the natural gas market in Europe.
This 3rd Package comprises:
- A Directive on the common rules for the internal market for natural gas, overriding Directive 2003/55/EC
Download European Directive 2009/73/EC of July 13, 2009 on the common rules for the internal natural gas market (PDF, 926 kB)
- A Regulation on the conditions of access to the natural gas transmission systems, overriding Regulation (EC) no. 1775/2005
Download Regulation (EC) no. 715/2009 of July 13, 2009 on the conditions of access to the natural gas transmission systems (PDF, 984 kB) - A regulation establishing an agency for the cooperation of energy regulators
Download Regulation (EC) no. 713/2009 of July 13, 2009 establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (PDF, 1.25 MB) - A Directive on the common rules for the internal market for electricity, overriding Directive 2003/54/EC
- A Regulation on the conditions of access to the electricity transmission systems, overriding Regulation (EC) no. 1228/2003
The main elements of the Directive are as follows:
- The gradual harmonisation of existing technical and legal frameworks in the different Member States;
- The development of interconnected regional markets;
- Provisions specifying the minimum consumer protection rules to be implemented by the Member States;
- Increased cooperation between transmission system operators (creation of ENTSOG: European Network of Transmission System Operators of Gas);
- The creation of a European Agency to coordinate national regulatory authorities (ACER).
This Directive will come into force on March 3, 2011.
