Competition Policy and an Internal Energy Market – Study concept and preliminary results

Please note: Each In-Depth Analysis is assigned a DOI (digital object identifier), which is a safe and long term way of ensuring a hyperlink to the full text of this report. However, when ESO creates this record, on occasion the DOI still has not been activated by the EU Bookshop. If you find the source url hyperlink does not work please use the alternative location hyperlink listed as a related url.The study describes the challenges for competition policy in relation to the internal energy market. It explores the specific topics related to the internal energy market and analyses the competition policy issues arising from the topics. The study mainly focuses on competition policy and its instruments such as anti-trust laws, merger regulation, sector regulation and State aid. Other policy fields fall outside the scope.

See also the final study Competition Policy and an Internal Energy Market (available via the related hyperlink below).

This study identifies selected important competition-related issues in the internal energy market. It discusses the role of competition law with respect to the following issues: State aid, congestion management, capacity remuneration mechanisms, balancing markets, effective competition between suppliers, integration of new players in the market, and energy poverty. To tackle these present and possible upcoming issues, the study provides indications regarding the current and future need for applying instruments of competition law as well as other types of instruments. The study was provided by Policy Department A at the request of the ECON Committee.

The presentation of the approach and preliminary results was prepared by Policy Department A of DG Internal Markets of the European Parliament at the request of the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

• Primary Source

European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union: Publications available via the EU Bookshop http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/directorate-general-for-internal-policies-of-the-union-cbf.cKABstF7wAAAEjwYYY4e5K/

European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service: In-Depth Analysis, April 2017: Competition Policy and an Internal Energy Market - Study concept and preliminary results http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2017/602020/IPOL_IDA(2017)602020_EN.pdf

European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service: Study, July 2017: Competition Policy and an Internal Energy Market http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2017/607327/IPOL_STU(2017)607327_EN.pdf

European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service: At a Glance: Study in Focus, January 2018: Competition Policy and an Internal Energy Market http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2017/602039/IPOL_ATA(2017)602039_EN.pdf

---