ENERGY MARKET: The new regulations will help lower prices and improve transparency

Alina Toma Vereha

The European Council last weekend adopted at the end of last week, new regulations concerning the domestic energy market, which will lead to its consolidation and will provide companies with equal opportunities to compete on the territory of Europe.

Another important element of the legislative package is promoting durability, by stimulating energy efficiency.

Vasile Puşcaş, State Secretary in the State Department for European Affairs, stated yesterday, during the Reunion for coordination of European affairs, that Romania will fully benefit from these steps, which will have a direct impact on the business environment and on citizens, by lowering prices and increasing energy security.

According to a press release sent to our editors, the main goal of the legislative package is to implement the legal framework needed for allowing real competition on the energy market. The new norms will increase market transparency, by guaranteeing equal access to information. Intelligent metering systems will be implemented (intended to cover 80% of the population by 2020), which will allow consumers to receive accurate information on their energy consumption and to promote energy efficiency.

The legislative package will supply a more efficient regulatory framework for the National Energy Regulatory Authorities, and cross-border investments will be stimulated by means of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO).

The directives and the regulations of the legislative package for the energy market, will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, in August 2009, and will come into effect within 20 days from their publication. The directives concerning electricity and natural gas need to be implemented in the Romanian legislation within 18 month from their enactment, with the exception of the norms for the separation of the transmission and distribution activities.