Commission Decision of 15 November 2012 setting up the Electricity Coordination Group

17.11.2012 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 353/2
COMMISSION DECISION
of 15 November 2012
setting up the Electricity Coordination Group
2012/C 353/02
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Whereas:
(1) Article 194(1) of the Treaty establishes the objectives of ensuring the functioning of the energy market and the security of energy supply in the Union, the promotion of energy efficiency, energy saving, the development of new and renewable forms of energy and the interconnection of energy networks in a spirit of solidarity.
(2) Directive 2005/89/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2006 concerning measures to safeguard security of electricity supply and infrastructure investment (1) requires Member States to ensure a high level of security of electricity supply and to take into account possibilities for cross-border cooperation for this purpose. It is the Commission's responsibility to monitor and review its application.
(3) Directive 2009/72/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing Directive 2003/54/EC (2) provides for detailed rules on the internal electricity market. These rules aim, inter alia, at the further developing cross-border interconnections and ensuring a high standard of security of electricity supply.
(4) Directive 2009/72/EC entrusts regulatory authorities with the task to monitor compliance with network security and reliability rules and investments in generation capacity in relation to security of supply. In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 713/2009 (3), the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators shall assist the regulatory authorities, where necessary coordinate their action and monitor the execution of the tasks of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (‘ENTSO-E’).
(5) Directive 2009/72/EC furthermore provides that transmission system operators shall be responsible for ensuring a secure, reliable and efficient electricity system, while Regulation (EC) No 714/2009 (4) entrusts ENTSO-E with the task to adopt tools to ensure coordination of network operation in normal and emergency conditions and to produce regularly a European generation adequacy outlook.
(6) Under Directive 2009/72/EC Member States, as well as the regulatory authorities, are obliged to cooperate with each other and with the Commission for the purpose of integrating their national markets, as a first step towards the creation of a fully liberalised internal market. The Commission monitors the implementation of the provisions of Directive 2009/72/EC (5).
(7) The increasing production of electricity from renewable energy sources leads to new challenges for the internal electricity market, notably with respect to grid stability and security of electricity supply. Increased coordination of policy measures related to the internal electricity market between Member States, other involved stakeholders and the Commission is crucial for the success of the integration of European electricity markets and the maintenance of a high standard of security of electric supply.
(8) The Commission has therefore launched several meetings of high-level representatives from competent Member State authorities, national energy regulators, ENTSO-E and the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (‘the Agency’) to exchange views and feed into its policy thinking on electricity security of supply matters, including grid stability and generation adequacy. These first activities and the idea of an Electricity Coordination Group were discussed at the informal Energy Council in Wroclaw in September 2011 and in the meetings of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council in November 2011 and February 2012 meeting.
(9) These meetings of high level representatives have proven to be very useful for the Commission and all involved stakeholders. They provided valuable insights into internal electricity market and security of supply issues and allowed to discuss different possible solutions to address the existing problems. They highlighted in particular the need to address the new challenges relating to integrated electricity markets on a European level.
(10) It is therefore appropriate to formalise this group of experts in the field of electricity and to define its tasks and its structure.
(11) The group should help to strengthen and intensify the cooperation and coordination between Member States and the Commission in the field of cross-border trade of electricity and security of supply issues, including generation adequacy and grid stability, and also to prepare potential new policy initiatives and react to potential supply crises.
(12) The Electricity Coordination Group should provide the Commission and its members with the necessary policy expertise for initiatives aimed at preserving and enhancing market integration and security of electricity supply.
(13) The Group should be composed of the Member States' competent authorities (ministry competent for electricity and national regulatory authority), of ENTSO-E and of the Agency. Rules on disclosure of information by members of the group should be laid down.
(14) Personal data relating to the members of the Group should be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (6),