European Electricity Forum supports faster integration of markets
(2 September 2005) The forum considered:
- proposals to create regional markets as an intermediary step to move towards a single European market
- security of supply directive
- the competition inquiry
- the evaluation of the state of play of the internal market.
Commissioner Piebalgs gave a presentation indicating that the Commission would continue to push competition. Representatives of the large industrial users indicated that the rise of electricity prices was hurting Europe’s industry. Several organisations such as the regulators, the electricity companies, transmission system operators and traders made proposals on how to promote competition. Proposals to promote competition can also be expected from the competition inquiry. The Deputy General Secretary represented EPSU. He pointed out that economic, physical and social issues put constraints on competition in the electricity sector. Promoting further competition might need draconian measures for which there is limited political support, and which could have an impact on domestic users, long-term investment, reliability and sustainable development. Companies in the electricity sector as well as large users need a stable environment.
The Florence forum was established to accompany the process of liberalisation and provide suggestions to solve problems which occur such as congestion management and cross-border tarification. It brings together Member State representatives, representatives of regulators and stakeholders such as traders, power exchanges, industrial users, electricity companies, distributors and transmission system operators.
More information is available on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/electricity/florence/12_en.htm
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