Fuente: Platts
European Union leaders
re-affirmed their commitment to liberalize the gas and electricity markets at a
European Council
meeting in Seville, Spain
Jun 21-22, the EU said. EU leaders said they expected an agreement on the
accelerated opening of markets by the end of this year. But the goals remain
un-changed
from those set out at the
Barcelona spring council, as energy policy took a backseat to other concerns,
such as EU
immigration policy. In Barcelona,
EU leaders reached a compromise for both the gas and power sectors, agreeing to
complete market opening for non-household customers (around 60% of the total
market) by 2004, but they chose not to set a date for the domestic sector. Instead,
they concentrated on other issues such as a better definition of the public
service sector and security of supply. While EU goals remain the same, the
pressure is mounting to push these amended directives through as quickly as
possible. But it is unlikely they will be rubber stamped before the end of
2002. The Seville Council also approved further progress made on an EU energy
tax directive, which should also be adopted by the end of this year.
This has been helped along
by a Spanish presidency compromise package, including concessions for
energy-intensive businesses.