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EURELECTRIC Sets Out Current Energy Policy Priorities in Oslo

EURELECTRIC President Rafael Miranda called on 12 June for a fully-coherent EU energy policy based on properly-functioning markets. Speaking on the sidelines of the EURELECTRIC Annual Conference in Oslo, Mr Miranda pointed to work urgently needed to integrate electricity markets towards a fully-fledged pan-European market, which “requires electricity stakeholders to join forces and show leadership in furthering regional markets”. Unveiling a Declaration setting out our current key energy policy priorities, he stressed that the regional market initiatives underway “offer a unique opportunity for rapid progress and must become a success story”.

Addressing the press on the sidelines of the Conference - whose theme is the Role and Benefits of Electricity to Society - the EURELECTRIC President stressed that “electricity offers a unique solution to drastically reduce oil dependency, cut down on CO2 emissions and boost energy efficiency”. However, if electricity is to play its proper role and deliver all its potential benefits to society, we need a coherent “long-term vision” on energy policy in the light of the three major challenges of security of supply, market development and climate-change action, he argued.

The Oslo Declaration published today insists that EU policy should focus on where it can add most value and must provide the “stability and regulatory coherence” necessary to allow the market to function properly and deliver continued investment in vital plant and infrastructure.  It is also vital that important primary energy or technology options are not limited through political decisions, argues EURELECTRIC.

In the context of climate-change action - which requires a global response - policymakers should make available the widest range of tools possible in order to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the Declaration underlines.

Looking at electricity markets, the Declaration points to the positive results brought about by market-opening, but stresses that “liberalisation is not a one-off event but a process” and underlines that further work is now urgently needed to move towards further integration of markets in the pursuit of a fully-fledged pan-European market.  “Immediate and unambiguous implementation of the 2003 liberalisation package” is absolutely vital. Further progress then requires a “process of cooperation with the development of regional markets as an intermediary step”.

The Declaration lists a number of specific actions that, if undertaken promptly, will bring significant improvement: creating a level playing field on market transparency through voluntary disclosure; integrating intraday and balancing markets; removing regulated tariffs and price controls; and implementing a generic model for supplier-switching.

EURELECTRIC sees the regional initiatives undertaken by Regulators’ group ERGEG as offering a “unique opportunity to make progress”.

Progress should not be held up awaiting the lengthy processes of new regulation or legislation but should be based on consensus-building and involvement of key stakeholders. Voluntary initiatives or implementation agreements between public authorities and industry offer a speedy way forward, argues EURELECTRIC.