Third Energy Package

The EU's Third Energy Package in 2009 was adopted by the European Parliament, to further liberalize the electricity and gas markets in the EU and to strengthen consumer rights. The third energy package contains two directives and three regulations.

Objectives

One of the main objectives of the third energy package is the separation of network operation from supply and production, either by

  • Ownership unbundling,
  • Independent system operator (ISO - Independent System Operator), or
  • Independent transmission operator (ITO - Independent Transmission Operator).

Other objectives are:

  • Strengthening of consumer rights, including the right of free exchange of gas or electricity supplier within three weeks
  • By 2020, at least 80 percent of all consumers shall be equipped with smart meters.
  • Establishment of the right to basic electricity supply and protection of " vulnerable customers "

Directives and Regulations

All policies and regulations of the third energy package were issued on 13 July 2009 and published on 14 August 2009 in the Official Journal of the European Union:

  • Regulation ( EC) No 713/ 2009 establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators
  • Regulation ( EC) No 714 /2009 on conditions for access to cross- border exchanges in electricity
  • Regulation ( EC) No 715 /2009 on conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks (including natural gas access regulation)
  • Directive (EC ) No 72/2009 on the internal electricity market
  • Directive (EC ) No 73 /2009 on the internal gas market

Additional measures and implementation

After the entry into force of the Directives on 28 August 2009, Member States had one and a half years to transpose it into national law.

  • Formation of an EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators: this happened with the establishment of ACER, whose office was opened in Ljubljana in March 2011.
  • Mandate to the Commission to adopt guidelines based on these binding network codes, such as for emergency situations;
  • Establishment of a network of transmission system operators for electricity ( ENTSOE ) and gas ( ENTSOG )
  • Obligation of the transmission system operator / transmission operator, the national regulatory authorities with a ten-year network development plan every year

In Germany the Directive was implemented by the amendment of the Energy Industry Act ( Energy Act ) in August 2011.

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