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Developments in the European market
The European Commission was very active in 2007. Prominent among the matters dealt with during the year were:
  • The problems of reaching an agreement between the Ukraine and Russia on payment of transit charges and debts
  • Financial aid for the Trans-European Energy Networks.
  • Support for the diversification of supply sources and routes (for example, the Nabuco or Medgaz gas pipeline, to cite two examples).
  • Support for the standardisation of technical standards in the European Common Area (for example, the Madrid Forum).
In January 2007, the European Commission issued a communication emphasising the importance of completing the internal natural gas market, to thus create a framework for standardised action for all the European gas companies. The final report of the survey of sectorial competition in 2006 made it clear that existing regulations did not guarantee efficient operation of the internal market. The Commission therefore concludes that without effective separation of the management of the competing activities’ networks, there is an inherent risk of not only discrimination in the operation of the gas system, but also of a lack of incentives for vertically integrated companies to invest appropriately.

Based on these principles, the Commission has presented a new package of legislative proposals which will enable internal solidarity when the need arises and greater security of supply:
  • Efficient cooperation between the European managers of national transport systems.
  • Strengthening of the national energy regulators and the implementation of mutual cooperation between them via an Energy Regulators Cooperation Agency.
  • Effective separation of supply activities from infrastructure management.
  • Improved access to the LNG stores and terminals, and limitation of infrastructures which are exempt from this access obligation.
  • Effective gradual progress towards a European market for small customers: residential and SMEs.
  • Insistence that non-Community companies wishing to operate in the European energy market must obey the same rules of competition and the establishment of bilateral agreements.
Annual
Report
07
  • BP
    BP
Annual Report 2.007: Sedigas - The Spanish Gas Association