Press Release: Commission to speed up completion of the internal electricity market

The European Commission adopted a communication to the Council and Parliament on 16.5.00 on recent progress in - and future prospects for - the establishment of the internal electricity market. After stressing the major advances already made, the Commission points out that it cannot be content with fifteen liberalised markets, but aims to establish a single market as soon as possible. To achieve this, on a proposal from Loyola de Palacio, Vice-President with responsibility for energy and transport, it intends to present a number of additional proposals shortly, in particular on increasing the number of eligible customers, greater unbundling of operational and accounting aspects and regulated third-party access to the network. It will also propose a mechanism for concerted action by interested parties with a view to defining a European plan for the major interconnector infrastructure which is still missing. Vice-President Loyola de Palacio stressed that, 'if the Community is to reap the full benefits of a competitive, dynamic market, faster liberalisation must lead to a situation where, in due course, all consumers have the right to choose their supplier."