Energy
Sector Inquiry
Commissioner Kroes
"Energy is crucial to the EU's competitiveness, sustainable jobs and the prosperity of all European citizens." |
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Commissioner Piebalgs
"The Commission is determined to see that Member States follow through on their commitment to create competitive energy markets." |
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The European Commission launched an inquiry into competition in gas and electricity markets in 2005, pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation 1/2003 EC. This page provides information relating to the inquiry, including reports, press releases, frequently asked questions (FAQ), speeches and other relevant documents.
Revitalising the Lisbon agenda is a top priority for the current Commission. In its Communication of 2 February 2005 to the Spring European Council "Working together for growth and jobs, a new start for the Lisbon strategy", (COM(2005) 24 final)) the Commission set out a more pro-active application of competition policy, in particular, by means of sectoral screenings for barriers to competition in the energy sector.
The energy inquiry responded to concerns voiced by consumers and new entrants in the sector about the development of wholesale gas and electricity markets and limited choice for consumers. Read more about sector inquiries.
The final report, published in January 2007, identified serious shortcomings in the electricity and gas markets:
- too much market concentration in most national markets;
- a lack of liquidity, preventing successful new entry;
- too little integration between Member States’ markets;
- an absence of transparently available market information, leading to distrust in the pricing mechanisms
- an inadequate current level of unbundling between network and supply interests which has negative repercussions on market functioning and investment incentives;
- customers being tied to suppliers through long-term downstream contracts;
- current balancing markets and small balancing zones which favour incumbents.
Follow-up to the sector inquiry
To tackle the problems identified in the course of the inquiry, the Commission is pursuing individual cases under competition rules (anti-trust, merger control and state aids) and has taken further action to improve the regulatory framework for energy liberalisation:
Final report (10 January 2007)
The Final Report of the inquiry was adopted together with proposals for a comprehensive package of measures to establish a new Energy Policy for Europe to combat climate change and boost the EU's energy security and competitiveness.
Study: "Structure and performance of six wholesale electricity markets in 2003, 2004 and 2005"
Speeches
- More competitive energy markets: building on the findings of the sector inquiry to shape the right policy solutions
Commissioner Neelie Kroes - SPEECH/07/547, 19.09.2007
- More competition and greater energy security in the Single European Market for electricity and gas
Commissioner Neelie Kroes - SPEECH/07/212, 30.03.2007
- A new European Energy Policy; reaping the benefits of open and competitive markets
Commissioner Neelie Kroes - SPEECH/07/63, 05.02.2007
- Introductory remarks on the final report of the energy sector competition inquiry
Commissioner Neelie Kroes - SPEECH/07/4, 10.01.2007
- The liberalisation of EU Energy Markets
Director-General Philip Lowe’s speech in London, The Beesley Lectures, Institute of Economic Affairs , 09.11.2006
- A new energy policy for a new era
Commissioner Kroes' speech in Lisbon, Conference on European Energy Strategy – the Geopolitical Challenges – SPEECH/06/648 of 30.10.2006
- The need for a renewed European energy policy
Commissioner Kroes' speech in London, OFGEM seminar on Powering the Energy Debate: Europe - Competition and Regulation – SPEECH/06/541 of 28.09.2006
- Towards an Efficient and Integrated European Energy Market – First Findings and Next Steps
Neelie Kroes – Public Presentation of the Preliminary Findings of the energy sector inquiry. SPEECH/06/92, Date: 16.02.2006
Preliminary report (16 February 2006)
Initial findings (15 November 2005)
Opening of the inquiry (2005)
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