Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-06-17-Speech-2-276"
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".
During the Slovenian Presidency of the Council, energy issues have been high on the agenda. Reliability of supply, the functioning of energy markets and sustainable management of the environment are indeed issues that are of strategic importance for the European Union and its citizens.
3. fair and non-discriminatory access to the network
4. fair encouragement of investments including for international connections
5. independent access to means and resources for the work of transmission network operators, and ultimately, this will ensure additional jurisdiction for national regulators regarding independent operators of transmission networks.
Another element of the agreement reached in the Council concerns investments by third countries in the European Union. The Council believes that the text should ensure such an approach to third countries controlling networks that will not be protectionist. At the same time, a guarantee must be given that companies from third countries will observe the same rules that apply to European Union undertakings. Here we need to take into account the interests of third countries and their undertakings seeking good partner relations with energy undertakings in Member States. Moreover, we will also need to analyse a range of energy investments already initiated on both sides.
Another very important area is investments and network development planning, especially the formulation of the European Union’s ten-year plan for network development. A consistent and effective approach is ensured at all levels, especially as regards transmission network operators, in an open and transparent consultation process, as well as all the main players and the agency.
In this latter connection, the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, the Presidency takes the view that we have succeeded in creating a truly independent agency with an effective management. Its tasks are focused on the areas of international and regional cooperation, and it will address in particular the issue of transboundary connections.
Other important elements of the agreement relate to public ownership, the treatment of transboundary cases, enhanced regional cooperation, operation of the market, consumer protection and guidelines that should be adopted by committees of the Commission in comitology procedures.
In these few points I hoped to present you with a brief overview of the main elements of the consensus reached in the Council. I am convinced that the compromise text is also a fine basis for the next Presidency trio and cooperation with this esteemed House.
It is also becoming increasingly clear that energy is a field that must offer new knowledge and new services, if we wish the European economy to remain competitive in the world. More than a year ago the representatives of governments and Member States committed themselves to sustainable goals and to strengthening effective energy markets. The European Parliament also supported the targets set then and formulated proposals which the Council studied with great interest.
The third package on the natural gas and electricity markets was a very important legislative dossier for the Slovenian Presidency. Its main purpose, the main purpose of this package, is to continue the process of liberalising energy markets and increasing their efficiency and transparency. In line with the Commission’s proposal, in studying this dossier the Council treated all five legislative proposals as one complete package, and therefore where it was logical retained the same solutions for documents relating to the electricity and natural gas markets.
At the meeting of the Energy Council on 6 June, the Slovenian Presidency secured broad support for key elements of the package of five legislative proposals. The most important element of this broad consensus is of course the third option of the organisation of energy undertakings. Here, at the same time, the two original proposals from the Commission were adopted. These proposals define either full ownership separation, or an independent system operator, while Member States also agreed with the third option, which enables an independent operator of the transmission network to be established.
Permit me briefly to summarise the more important and perhaps also the more sensitive points of this agreement, which you will also be addressing in this esteemed House. The option of an independent operator of the transmission network may be used by countries in which, on the entry into force of the new directive, the transmission network will fall to a vertically integrated undertaking. It can be applied both to the natural gas sector and to electricity. This option allows undertakings to retain ownership of the transmission network on the condition that it is managed by an independent operator.
Regarding the organisation of the transmission system and the system operator, in the context of a vertically integrated undertaking a range of requirements have been established that define the independence of the system operator, balanced and impartial operation, the safety of carrying out necessary investment and also protection of the interests of the vertically integrated undertaking itself.
This will ensure the following:
1. independence of the operator, managers and supervisory authorities
2. avoidance of any conflict of interests"@en1
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