•it £.• COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 12 12.1996 
COM(96) 710 final - COD 384 
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 
pursuant to Article 189b (2) (a) of the EC Treaty 
on the European Parliament's second reading of 
the Council's Common Position for a 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 
concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
The present proposal for a Directive is based on Article 57 (2), Article 66 and Article 
100a of the EC Treaty. Article 100a requires the co-decision procedure of Article 189b 
of the Treaty. 
The Commission presents its Opinion on the second reading of the European 
Parliament. 
1. STATE OF THE PROCEDURE 
The proposal for a Council Directive concerning common rules for the internal 
market in electricity was presented by the Commission on 21 February 1992 
(COM(91) 548 final - SYN384). 
The European Parliament gave its opinion in first reading on 17 November 
1993. It proposed numerous amendments. 
The Economic and Social Committee gave its opinion on 27 January 1993. 
The Commission presented an amended proposal for a European Parliament 
and Council Directive on 7 December 1993 (COM(93)643 final -COD 384). 
The Commission presented two working papers, the first on the Organisation 
of the Internal Electricity Market of 22 March 1995 (SEC(95)464 final) and the 
second on Small and very small electricity systems in the Internal Electricity 
Market of 10 May 1995(SEC(95) 685 final). 
The European Parliament commented on the second working paper of 10 May 
1995 in its report of 7 February 1996 (PE 215.270/def) . 
The Council of the European Union has adopted a Common Position on 25 July 
1996 (Doc. 8811/96 ENER 105). 
The Commission accepted this common position on 26 July 1996 (SEC(96) 
1409 final -COD 384), and informed the European Parliament of its opinion. 
The European Parliament voted on the second reading on 11 December 1996, 
adopting a favourable resolution which included no amendments to the common 
position. 
2. FIELD OF APPLICATION 
The present proposal for a Directive applies to the production, transmission and 
distribution of electricity. It aims at ensuring the introduction of competition to 
the electricity sector, creating more efficiency, strengthening security of supply 
and providing equal access for all producers and eligible customers to this 
sector. The proposal is part of the second phase of the effort of the 
Commission to establish the internal energy market and as such represents an 
intermediate phase towards full liberalisation of the electricity sector. It will be 
followed by further measures promoting market opening. 
3. THE COMMISSION'S OPINION ON THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTS 
SECOND READING 
The Commission welcomes the fact that the European Parliament did not adopt 
any amendments on the common position of the Council in its second reading 
of 11 December 1996. 
The Commission invites the Council to definitively adopt the Directive in 
question in accordance with the common position. 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 710 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 10 12 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-722-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-13937-8 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg 
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