Liberalized energy market will bring benefits to citizens across Europe

1.07.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 22nd Apr 2009

The European Parliament today in Strasbourg adopted the Third energy Package which contains five texts related to electricity and gas markets and access to the network as well as the establishment of the Agency that will supervise market functioning.

This package is aiming at the creation of a competitive internal energy market by giving European consumers a better choice between different companies supplying gas and electricity at reasonable prices, and by making the market accessible for all suppliers, especially the smallest and those investing in renewable forms of energy.

Anne Laperrouze (MoDem, France), vice-president of Parliament's industry and energy committee and ALDE spokeswomen on energy package said: "To summarise this third package as only about ownership unbundling would be an error. The projections are real: more capacities to the regulators, more rights for the consumers, more transparency to facilitate the development of renewable energies, more technical collaboration between network operators, more cooperation between regulators through the Cooperation Agency, the continuation of energy efficiency, and energy saving, integration tools for better consumption for example, intelligent meters."

"Supply security, the climate change challenge, the continuation of the liberalisation of the markets to guarantee reasonable and stable prices to industry and consumers, must be continued with a pragmatic and non dogmatic approach. European citizens are not waiting for the application of economic theories but concrete evidence that the opening of markets brings benefit to them: real freedom to choose supplier and reasonable, stable and foreseeable prices" - she added.

Alan Butt Philip, Welsh Lib Dem European spokesperson said: "The Council strongly opposed the Parliament's position to have full ownership unbundling in the electricity sector, but I'm pleased that they reached a compromise to strengthen the powers of national regulators, as well as role of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. An improved Independent Transmission Operator option will enhance Transmission system operator's independence. This would be win-win situation for both customers and providers of the electricity market".