Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/411 |

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(2004/C 78 E/0432)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2649/03

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 September 2003)

Subject:   Comparison of electricity network tariffs in the Commission's second benchmarking report

The Commission's ‘Second benchmarking report on the implementation of the internal electricity and gas market’ (Brussels, 7 April 2003) shows the differing rates of progress towards liberalisation in the individual Member States.

The report is available on the following Internet site: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/electricity/ benchmarking/doc/2/sec\_2003\_448\_en.pdf).

Table 1 ‘Implementation of the Electricity Directive’ on page 4 of the report (column headed ‘Overall network tariffs’) reveals that Austria, Germany and Luxembourg have above-average network tariffs.

What data and/or studies were used as the basis for ascertaining the level of network tariffs?

Who supplied the data?

On what consumption indicators and parameters is the analysis based?

How was European comparability ensured (differences in pattern of consumption, security of supply, topology, etc.)?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(13 October 2003)

The study was based on information submitted by national Ministries and electricity and gas regulatory authorities. In some cases analysis from industry associations was used, for example the ‘Verband der Elektrizitätswirtschaft’ (VdEW) and ‘Verband der Netzbetreiber’ (VdN) in Germany. This is explained in more detail in Section 2 of the Annex to the document.

Standard customer types based on the price information collected by Eurostat were used, in particular:

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| — | large industrial user 24 Gigawatt hour (GWh) per year; |

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| — | small commercial user 50 Megawatt hour (MWh) per year; |

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| — | domestic user 3500 Kilowatt (KWh) per year. |

The three Member States mentioned by the Honourable Member have above average network tariffs for the customer types used.

Generally speaking, it is considered that national regulators are best placed to make the final decision on the appropriateness or otherwise of network access charges. It is true that topology may explain some differences but the other factors identified (security of supply, consumption patterns) are not so different on an individual Member State basis. As noted in the report, the lack of effective regulation in certain Member States and an inadequate level of unbundling are also likely explanations of these differences.

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