# C_2005182EN.01000202.xml

| 23.7.2005 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 182/2 |
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23.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 182/2

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JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(Grand Chamber)

of 7 June 2005

in Case C-17/03: Reference for a preliminary ruling from the College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven Vereniging voor Energie, Milieu en Water and Others v Directeur van de Dienst uitvoering en toezicht energie (1)

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(Internal market in electricity - Preferential access to the system for cross-border transmission of electricity - Undertaking previously responsible for the operation of services of general economic interest - Long-term contracts existing prior to the liberalisation of the market - Directive 96/92/EC - Principle of non-discrimination - Principles of the protection of legitimate expectation and of legal certainty)

(2005/C 182/04)

Language of the case: Dutch

In Case C-17/03: reference for a preliminary ruling under Article 234 EC from the College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven (Administrative Court for Trade and Industry) (Netherlands), made by decision of 13 November 2002, received at the Court on 16 January 2003, in the proceedings between Vereniging voor Energie, Milieu en Water, Amsterdam Power Exchange Spotmarket BV, Eneco NV and Directeur van de Dienst uitvoering en toezicht energie, intervening party: Nederlands Elektriciteit Administratiekantoor BV, previously Samenwerkende Elektriciteits Produktiebedrijven NV — the Court (Grand Chamber), composed of V. Skouris, President, P. Jann, C.W.A. Timmermans and A. Rosas (Rapporteur), Presidents of Chambers, J.-P. Puissochet, R. Schintgen, N. Colneric, S. von Bahr, M. Ilešič, J. Malenovský and U. Lõhmus, Judges; C. Stix-Hackl, Advocate General; M.-F. Contet, Principal Administrator, for the, Registrar, gave a judgment on 7 June 2005, the operative part of which is as follows:

Vereniging voor Energie, Milieu en Water

Amsterdam Power Exchange Spotmarket BV

Eneco NV

Directeur van de Dienst uitvoering en toezicht energie

Nederlands Elektriciteit Administratiekantoor BV

| 1. | Articles 7(5) and 16 of Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity are not limited to covering technical rules but must be construed as applying to all discrimination. |
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1.

Articles 7(5) and 16 of Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity are not limited to covering technical rules but must be construed as applying to all discrimination.

| 2. | Those articles preclude national measures that grant an undertaking preferential capacity for the cross-border transmission of electricity, whether those measures derive from the system operator, the controller of system management or the legislature, in the case where such measures have not been authorised within the framework of the procedure set out in Article 24 of Directive 96/92. |
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2.

Those articles preclude national measures that grant an undertaking preferential capacity for the cross-border transmission of electricity, whether those measures derive from the system operator, the controller of system management or the legislature, in the case where such measures have not been authorised within the framework of the procedure set out in Article 24 of Directive 96/92.

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(1)  OJ C 70 of 2.03.2003.

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