BETA


Events

2024/04/10
   Indicative plenary sitting date
2024/01/15
   EP - Approval in committee of the text agreed at 1st reading interinstitutional negotiations
2023/12/22
   CSL - Coreper letter confirming interinstitutional agreement
2023/09/14
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2023/09/14
   EP - Committee decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations confirmed by plenary (Rule 71 - vote)
2023/09/11
   EP - Committee decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations announced in plenary (Rule 71)
2023/07/27
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading
Details

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Nicolás GONZÁLEZ CASARES (S&D, ES) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2019/943 and (EU) 2019/942 as well as Directives (EU) 2018/2001 and (EU) 2019/944 to improve the Union’s electricity market design.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:

The amended text stressed that a well-integrated market should enable the Union to reap the economic benefits of a single energy market in all circumstances, including in the event of an electricity price crisis, guaranteeing security of supply and supporting the decarbonisation process to achieve the objective of climate neutrality.

The Commission should consider strengthening the obligation to make 70% of interconnection capacity available for cross-border trade in order to make the electricity market fit for an energy system primarily based on renewable energy, which requires more and better interconnection to sustain a high security of supply.

Modernising the electricity network

Strengthening the internal energy market and achieving the climate and energy transition objectives require a substantial upgrade of the Union’s electricity network to be able to host substantial increases of renewable capacity, variability on generation amounts, changing electricity flow patterns across Europe and new demand such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.

Any reform of the EU electricity market should contribute to a more integrated European electricity network . Therefore, the Union and Member States should strengthen their cooperation to remove barriers, facilitate financing and accelerate all procedures to ensure that the minimum 15 % electricity interconnection target for 2030 is met.

Anticipatory investment

Regulatory authorities should promote the use of anticipatory investments, encouraging the acceleration of grid development to meet the accelerated deployment of renewable generation and smart electrified demand, such as electric vehicles , charging infrastructure and heat pumps deployment , where applicable, while taking careful consideration of the electricity network needs reflected in national or local development plans for energy, electric transport and heating sectors.

Transmission and distribution system operators should offer the possibility of establishing flexible connection agreements in those areas where there is limited or no network capacity availability for new connections.

Power purchase agreements

Members highlighted the importance of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in providing consumers with stable prices and renewable energy providers with reliable revenues.

Member States should remove barriers and facilitate power purchase agreements (PPAs), in particular renewables power purchase agreements with a view to reaching the objectives set out in their integrated national energy and climate plan with respect to the dimension decarbonisation and to ensure more predictable electricity prices while preserving competitive and liquid electricity markets. In order to ensure the removal of barriers to PPAs, the Commission may draw up specific guidance on how to alleviate administrative obligations and accounting complexities related to PPAs.

By 31 December 2024, the Commission, in cooperation with Nominated Electricity Market Operators should establish a market platform for PPAs, to be used on a voluntary basis, including the optional standardised PPAs while avoiding that such trade lowers liquidity in existing electricity markets. It is necessary to establish an EU database facilitating the collection of relevant information on the PPAs concluded in the Union.

Members backed wider use of so-called ‘ Contracts for Difference ’ (CFDs) to encourage energy investments and suggested leaving the door open for equivalent support schemes after approval by the Commission. They also advocated in favour of ‘non-fossil flexibility’ (the ability of the power grid to adjust to changes in supply and demand without relying on fossil fuels) and flexibility on the demand side.

Better consumer protection

The reform of the organisation of the electricity market should aim to achieve affordable and competitive prices for all consumers. The amended text stressed the need to respect consumer choice, protect domestic consumers from high prices, manipulation and abuse, and to allow consumers to benefit from a variety of contractual offers. Consumers should have the right to fixed price contracts, dynamic price contracts, as well as more information on the options they subscribe to, prohibiting suppliers from unilaterally changing the terms of a contract.

Adequate protection from disconnections

The amended text stated that Member States should prohibit electricity disconnections of vulnerable household customers and customers affected by or at risk of energy poverty, while also ensuring that disconnections are prohibited during ongoing judicial or out-of-court disputes between supplier and customers for a period of eight weeks. Member States should complement those rights with the adoption of specific measures for the winter and summer seasons, to enable household customers to help manage their consumption and avoid high settlement bills.

Moreover, Member States shall also ensure:

- that electricity suppliers regularly invite household customers without smart meters to send self-readings to help them manage their consumption and avoid high settlement bills;

- suppliers do not require household customers unable to pay their energy bills, vulnerable customers and customers affected by or at risk of energy poverty, to use prepayment systems;

- identify appropriate means to guarantee compensation for losses incurred by the relevant suppliers.

Documents
2023/07/19
   EP - Vote in committee, 1st reading
2023/07/19
   EP - Committee decision to open interinstitutional negotiations with report adopted in committee
2023/07/05
   CofR - Committee of the Regions: opinion
Documents
2023/06/30
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2023/06/14
   ESC - Economic and Social Committee: opinion, report
Documents
2023/06/12
   EP - Specific opinion
Documents
2023/06/08
   FR_SENATE - Contribution
Documents
2023/06/05
   CZ_SENATE - Contribution
Documents
2023/05/25
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/05/25
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/05/25
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/05/25
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/05/25
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/05/23
   EP - Specific opinion
Documents
2023/05/15
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2023/04/20
   EP - SILVA PEREIRA Pedro (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ECON
2023/04/11
   EP - GONZÁLEZ CASARES Nicolás (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ITRE
2023/03/29
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading
2023/03/28
   EP - VAN OVERTVELDT Johan (ECR) appointed as rapporteur in BUDG
2023/03/28
   EP - CAVAZZINI Anna (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in IMCO
2023/03/14
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
2023/03/14
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to revise the Union’s electricity market design to boost renewables, better protect consumers and enhance industrial competitiveness.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: very high prices and volatility in electricity markets have been observed since September 2021. This is mainly a consequence of the high price of gas, which is used as an input to generate electricity. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also caused uncertainty on the supply of other commodities, such as hard coal and crude oil, used by power-generating installations. This has resulted in substantial additional increases in the volatility of price levels of electricity.

The EU reacted swiftly by introducing a wide range of measures to mitigate the impact of high and volatile wholesale energy prices on households and businesses. However, the European Council has called on the Commission to work on a structural reform of the electricity market, with the dual objective of securing European energy sovereignty and achieving climate neutrality. The proposed reform forms part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan aimed to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and accelerate the transition to climate neutrality.

CONTENT: the Commission proposal foresees significant revisions to several pieces of EU legislation , notably the Electricity Regulation, the Electricity Directive and the REMIT Regulation. It includes a set of measures aimed to make electricity bills less dependent on fossil fuel prices by creating a buffer between short-term markets and the electricity bills paid by consumers.

Proposal’s objectives

Protecting and empowering consumers

High and volatile prices, such as those seen in 2022 provoked by Russia's energy war against the EU, have put an excessive burden on consumers. To protect them from volatile prices, the proposal will provide for the right to fixed price contacts as well as dynamic price contracts , the right to multiple contracts and to better and clearer contract information. Consumers will be offered variety of contracts that best fits their circumstances. In this way, consumers, including small businesses, can lock in secure, long-term prices to mitigate the impact of sudden price shocks, and/or they may choose to have dynamic pricing contracts with suppliers if they wish to take advantage of price variability to use electricity when it is cheaper (e.g., to charge electric cars or use heat pumps). Such a combination of both dynamic and fixed pricing allows to keep market incentives for consumers to adjust their electricity demand, while providing more certainty also for those who wish to invest in renewable energy sources (rooftop solar panels for instance) and stability of costs.

The protection of vulnerable consumers is also significantly enhanced. Under the proposed reform, Member States will protect vulnerable consumers in arrears from being disconnected. Also, it allows Member States to extend regulated retail prices to households and SMEs in case of a crisis.

The proposal will empower consumers by creating the right to share renewable energy directly , without the need to create energy communities. Greater energy sharing (e.g., sharing surplus roof top solar power with a neighbour) can improve the use made of low cost renewable energy and provide greater access to direct use of renewable energy for consumers who might not otherwise have such access.

Improve competitiveness of EU industry

Over the past year, many companies have struggled with excessively volatile energy price. To enhance the competitiveness of EU industry, the reformed electricity market design would improve access to more stable longer-term contracts and markets. Power purchase agreements ( PPAs ) - long-term private contracts between a generator (typically renewable or low carbon) and a consumer - can protect against price volatility, but they are currently mostly available only to large energy consumers in very few Member States. A barrier to the growth of this market is the credit risk that a consumer will not always be able to buy the electricity over the whole period. To address this, Member States should ensure that instruments to reduce the financial risks associated to off-taker payment default in the framework of PPAs, including guarantee schemes at market prices, are accessible to companies that face entry barriers to the PPA market and are not in financial difficulty.

To stabilise prices , investment support should be structured as “two-way” ( two-way contract for difference ), which set a minimum price but also a maximum price, so any revenues above the ceiling are paid back. The proposal will apply to new investments for the generation of electricity, which include investments in new power-generating facilities.

A further means of guarding against volatile prices is to use long term contracts that lock in future prices (“ forward contracts ”). This market shows low liquidity in many Member States but could be boosted across the EU, so that more suppliers or consumers can guard against excessively volatile prices over longer periods of time. The proposal will create regional reference prices via a hub to increase price transparency and oblige system operators to allow transmission rights longer than a year, so that if a forward contract is between parties across regions or borders, they can ensure transmission of the electricity.

In addition, to ensure markets that behave competitively and prices are set transparently, regulators’ ability to monitor energy market integrity and transparency will be enhanced.

Boost renewables and low carbon investment

The proposal seeks to boost renewable energy investment, in order to ensure that deployment triples, in line with European Green Deal goals. This will be achieved partly by improving the markets for long term contracts. Power purchase agreements and contracts for difference not only provide consumers with stable prices, they also give renewable energy suppliers reliable revenues. This lowers their financial risk and greatly reduces their cost of capital. This creates a virtuous circle where stable revenues lower costs and boost demand for renewable energy.

Renewable energy is also a better investment when its ability to produce power is not curtailed due to technical constraints in the system. The more flexible the system is (generation that can rapidly turn on or off, storage that can absorb or put power onto the system, or responsive consumers who can increase or decrease their demand for power) the more stable prices can be and the more renewable energy the system can integrate. For this reason, the proposal requires Member States to assess their needs for power system flexibility, establish objectives to deliver on these needs. Member States can design or redesign capacity mechanisms in order to promote low-carbon flexibility. Moreover, the proposal opens the possibility for Member States to introduce new support schemes for non-fossil flexibility such as demand side response and storage.

Documents

Votes

Modification des règlements (UE) 2019/943 et (UE) 2019/942 ainsi que des directives (UE) 2018/2001 et (UE) 2019/944 pour améliorer l'organisation du marché de l'électricité de l'Union - A9-0255/2023 - Nicolás González Casares - Décision d'engager des négociations interinstitutionnelles #

2023/09/14 Outcome: +: 366, -: 186, 0: 18
IT DE ES AT PT NL DK EL BE LT FI EE HR MT LV RO LU BG IE SE HU CY CZ SI SK PL FR
Total
61
81
52
16
21
26
12
14
18
9
12
7
11
4
8
24
4
7
11
19
10
4
18
7
6
45
63
icon: S&D S&D
108

Denmark S&D

2

Greece S&D

1

Lithuania S&D

1

Estonia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Bulgaria S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
64

Italy Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

1

Romania Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: PPE PPE
143

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

For (1)

1
3

Slovenia PPE

3
icon: Renew Renew
84

Italy Renew

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Lithuania Renew

1

Finland Renew

3

Estonia Renew

3

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Bulgaria Renew

For (1)

1

Ireland Renew

2
3

Hungary Renew

2

Slovenia Renew

2

Poland Renew

1
icon: NI NI
30

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Belgium NI

For (1)

1

Lithuania NI

Abstain (1)

1

Croatia NI

2

Latvia NI

Against (1)

1

France NI

Against (2)

2
icon: ID ID
52

Austria ID

3

Denmark ID

Abstain (1)

1

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1

Czechia ID

Abstain (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
32

Germany The Left

3

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2
icon: ECR ECR
57

Germany ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Belgium ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Finland ECR

2

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

Against (1)

1

Sweden ECR

3

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

1

A9-0255/2023 – Nicolás González Casares – Rejection – Am 9 #

2024/04/11 Outcome: -: 500, +: 75, 0: 10
CY MT IE LV HR EL SI LU EE SK DK LT FI PT BG FR BE HU AT CZ SE RO NL ES IT PL DE
Total
3
3
12
7
5
12
6
6
7
13
13
10
13
21
13
65
20
15
17
20
21
19
24
51
58
48
83
icon: The Left The Left
32

Cyprus The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Denmark The Left

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Czechia The Left

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Netherlands The Left

For (1)

1
icon: ID ID
50

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Denmark ID

Abstain (1)

1

Austria ID

Abstain (2)

2

Czechia ID

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
34

Latvia NI

1

Belgium NI

Against (1)

1

Romania NI

Against (1)

1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Germany NI

Against (1)

2
icon: ECR ECR
58

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Finland ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

France ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden ECR

3

Netherlands ECR

For (1)

3

Germany ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
60

Ireland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Greece Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

Against (2)

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
91

Ireland Renew

2

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Greece Renew

Against (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Slovakia Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

Against (1)

1

Finland Renew

2

Bulgaria Renew

3

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Sweden Renew

3

Italy Renew

For (1)

2

Poland Renew

1
icon: S&D S&D
117

Cyprus S&D

Against (1)

1

Malta S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Greece S&D

Against (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg S&D

Against (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

Against (1)

1

Denmark S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Finland S&D

2

Bulgaria S&D

2

Belgium S&D

2

Czechia S&D

Against (1)

1
icon: PPE PPE
143

Cyprus PPE

Against (1)

1

Malta PPE

Against (1)

1

Latvia PPE

3

Croatia PPE

Against (1)

1

Slovenia PPE

3

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1

A9-0255/2023 – Nicolás González Casares – Provisional agreement – Am 2 #

2024/04/11 Outcome: +: 433, -: 140, 0: 15
PL IT ES RO HU DE BG BE SE NL AT DK PT SK EE FI LT LV SI HR EL MT LU CZ IE CY FR
Total
48
57
51
19
15
84
12
20
21
25
17
13
21
13
7
13
10
8
6
5
13
4
6
20
12
3
65
icon: PPE PPE
142

Hungary PPE

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Slovenia PPE

3

Croatia PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2

Cyprus PPE

For (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
117

Bulgaria S&D

1

Belgium S&D

Abstain (1)

2

Denmark S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Greece S&D

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Czechia S&D

Against (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

1
icon: Renew Renew
91

Poland Renew

1

Italy Renew

2

Hungary Renew

2
3

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

3

Estonia Renew

3

Finland Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Greece Renew

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2
icon: ECR ECR
60

Germany ECR

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Sweden ECR

For (1)

3

Netherlands ECR

4

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Finland ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

1

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1

Croatia ECR

1

France ECR

Abstain (1)

1
icon: NI NI
33

Romania NI

Against (1)

1

Germany NI

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Belgium NI

For (1)

1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Latvia NI

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
50

Austria ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

For (1)

1

Czechia ID

Against (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
33

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Against (1)

1

Greece The Left

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Cyprus The Left

Abstain (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
62

Poland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Greece Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
784 2023/0077(COD)
2023/05/25 ITRE 700 amendments...
source: 749.127
2023/06/08 ECON 84 amendments...
source: 749.873

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

forecasts/0/date
Old
2024-03-11T00:00:00
New
2024-04-10T00:00:00
docs/12
date
2023-12-22T00:00:00
docs
title: GEDA/A/(2024)000028
type
Coreper letter confirming interinstitutional agreement
body
CSL
events/8
date
2024-01-15T00:00:00
type
Approval in committee of the text agreed at 1st reading interinstitutional negotiations
body
EP
forecasts
  • date: 2024-03-11T00:00:00 title: Indicative plenary sitting date
links
Research document
events/6
date
2023-09-14T00:00:00
type
Results of vote in Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=60345&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
docs/12/date
Old
2023-06-04T00:00:00
New
2023-06-05T00:00:00
docs/13/date
Old
2023-06-07T00:00:00
New
2023-06-08T00:00:00
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 57
events/6
date
2023-09-14T00:00:00
type
Committee decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations confirmed by plenary (Rule 71 - vote)
body
EP
events/5
date
2023-09-11T00:00:00
type
Committee decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations announced in plenary (Rule 71)
body
EP
docs/11
date
2023-07-05T00:00:00
docs
url: https://dmsearch.cor.europa.eu/search/public?k=(documenttype:AC)(documentnumber:2118)(documentyear:2023)(documentlanguage:EN) title: CDR2118/2023
type
Committee of the Regions: opinion
body
CofR
docs/11
date
2023-07-27T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2023-0255_EN.html title: A9-0255/2023
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
events/4/summary
  • The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Nicolás GONZÁLEZ CASARES (S&D, ES) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2019/943 and (EU) 2019/942 as well as Directives (EU) 2018/2001 and (EU) 2019/944 to improve the Union’s electricity market design.
  • The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:
  • The amended text stressed that a well-integrated market should enable the Union to reap the economic benefits of a single energy market in all circumstances, including in the event of an electricity price crisis, guaranteeing security of supply and supporting the decarbonisation process to achieve the objective of climate neutrality.
  • The Commission should consider strengthening the obligation to make 70% of interconnection capacity available for cross-border trade in order to make the electricity market fit for an energy system primarily based on renewable energy, which requires more and better interconnection to sustain a high security of supply.
  • Modernising the electricity network
  • Strengthening the internal energy market and achieving the climate and energy transition objectives require a substantial upgrade of the Union’s electricity network to be able to host substantial increases of renewable capacity, variability on generation amounts, changing electricity flow patterns across Europe and new demand such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.
  • Any reform of the EU electricity market should contribute to a more integrated European electricity network . Therefore, the Union and Member States should strengthen their cooperation to remove barriers, facilitate financing and accelerate all procedures to ensure that the minimum 15 % electricity interconnection target for 2030 is met.
  • Anticipatory investment
  • Regulatory authorities should promote the use of anticipatory investments, encouraging the acceleration of grid development to meet the accelerated deployment of renewable generation and smart electrified demand, such as electric vehicles , charging infrastructure and heat pumps deployment , where applicable, while taking careful consideration of the electricity network needs reflected in national or local development plans for energy, electric transport and heating sectors.
  • Transmission and distribution system operators should offer the possibility of establishing flexible connection agreements in those areas where there is limited or no network capacity availability for new connections.
  • Power purchase agreements
  • Members highlighted the importance of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in providing consumers with stable prices and renewable energy providers with reliable revenues.
  • Member States should remove barriers and facilitate power purchase agreements (PPAs), in particular renewables power purchase agreements with a view to reaching the objectives set out in their integrated national energy and climate plan with respect to the dimension decarbonisation and to ensure more predictable electricity prices while preserving competitive and liquid electricity markets. In order to ensure the removal of barriers to PPAs, the Commission may draw up specific guidance on how to alleviate administrative obligations and accounting complexities related to PPAs.
  • By 31 December 2024, the Commission, in cooperation with Nominated Electricity Market Operators should establish a market platform for PPAs, to be used on a voluntary basis, including the optional standardised PPAs while avoiding that such trade lowers liquidity in existing electricity markets. It is necessary to establish an EU database facilitating the collection of relevant information on the PPAs concluded in the Union.
  • Members backed wider use of so-called ‘ Contracts for Difference ’ (CFDs) to encourage energy investments and suggested leaving the door open for equivalent support schemes after approval by the Commission. They also advocated in favour of ‘non-fossil flexibility’ (the ability of the power grid to adjust to changes in supply and demand without relying on fossil fuels) and flexibility on the demand side.
  • Better consumer protection
  • The reform of the organisation of the electricity market should aim to achieve affordable and competitive prices for all consumers. The amended text stressed the need to respect consumer choice, protect domestic consumers from high prices, manipulation and abuse, and to allow consumers to benefit from a variety of contractual offers. Consumers should have the right to fixed price contracts, dynamic price contracts, as well as more information on the options they subscribe to, prohibiting suppliers from unilaterally changing the terms of a contract.
  • Adequate protection from disconnections
  • The amended text stated that Member States should prohibit electricity disconnections of vulnerable household customers and customers affected by or at risk of energy poverty, while also ensuring that disconnections are prohibited during ongoing judicial or out-of-court disputes between supplier and customers for a period of eight weeks. Member States should complement those rights with the adoption of specific measures for the winter and summer seasons, to enable household customers to help manage their consumption and avoid high settlement bills.
  • Moreover, Member States shall also ensure:
  • - that electricity suppliers regularly invite household customers without smart meters to send self-readings to help them manage their consumption and avoid high settlement bills;
  • - suppliers do not require household customers unable to pay their energy bills, vulnerable customers and customers affected by or at risk of energy poverty, to use prepayment systems;
  • - identify appropriate means to guarantee compensation for losses incurred by the relevant suppliers.
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  • PURPOSE: to revise the Union’s electricity market design to boost renewables, better protect consumers and enhance industrial competitiveness.
  • PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.
  • ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.
  • BACKGROUND: very high prices and volatility in electricity markets have been observed since September 2021. This is mainly a consequence of the high price of gas, which is used as an input to generate electricity. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also caused uncertainty on the supply of other commodities, such as hard coal and crude oil, used by power-generating installations. This has resulted in substantial additional increases in the volatility of price levels of electricity.
  • The EU reacted swiftly by introducing a wide range of measures to mitigate the impact of high and volatile wholesale energy prices on households and businesses. However, the European Council has called on the Commission to work on a structural reform of the electricity market, with the dual objective of securing European energy sovereignty and achieving climate neutrality. The proposed reform forms part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan aimed to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and accelerate the transition to climate neutrality.
  • CONTENT: the Commission proposal foresees significant revisions to several pieces of EU legislation , notably the Electricity Regulation, the Electricity Directive and the REMIT Regulation. It includes a set of measures aimed to make electricity bills less dependent on fossil fuel prices by creating a buffer between short-term markets and the electricity bills paid by consumers.
  • Proposal’s objectives
  • Protecting and empowering consumers
  • High and volatile prices, such as those seen in 2022 provoked by Russia's energy war against the EU, have put an excessive burden on consumers. To protect them from volatile prices, the proposal will provide for the right to fixed price contacts as well as dynamic price contracts , the right to multiple contracts and to better and clearer contract information. Consumers will be offered variety of contracts that best fits their circumstances. In this way, consumers, including small businesses, can lock in secure, long-term prices to mitigate the impact of sudden price shocks, and/or they may choose to have dynamic pricing contracts with suppliers if they wish to take advantage of price variability to use electricity when it is cheaper (e.g., to charge electric cars or use heat pumps). Such a combination of both dynamic and fixed pricing allows to keep market incentives for consumers to adjust their electricity demand, while providing more certainty also for those who wish to invest in renewable energy sources (rooftop solar panels for instance) and stability of costs.
  • The protection of vulnerable consumers is also significantly enhanced. Under the proposed reform, Member States will protect vulnerable consumers in arrears from being disconnected. Also, it allows Member States to extend regulated retail prices to households and SMEs in case of a crisis.
  • The proposal will empower consumers by creating the right to share renewable energy directly , without the need to create energy communities. Greater energy sharing (e.g., sharing surplus roof top solar power with a neighbour) can improve the use made of low cost renewable energy and provide greater access to direct use of renewable energy for consumers who might not otherwise have such access.
  • Improve competitiveness of EU industry
  • Over the past year, many companies have struggled with excessively volatile energy price. To enhance the competitiveness of EU industry, the reformed electricity market design would improve access to more stable longer-term contracts and markets. Power purchase agreements ( PPAs ) - long-term private contracts between a generator (typically renewable or low carbon) and a consumer - can protect against price volatility, but they are currently mostly available only to large energy consumers in very few Member States. A barrier to the growth of this market is the credit risk that a consumer will not always be able to buy the electricity over the whole period. To address this, Member States should ensure that instruments to reduce the financial risks associated to off-taker payment default in the framework of PPAs, including guarantee schemes at market prices, are accessible to companies that face entry barriers to the PPA market and are not in financial difficulty.
  • To stabilise prices , investment support should be structured as “two-way” ( two-way contract for difference ), which set a minimum price but also a maximum price, so any revenues above the ceiling are paid back. The proposal will apply to new investments for the generation of electricity, which include investments in new power-generating facilities.
  • A further means of guarding against volatile prices is to use long term contracts that lock in future prices (“ forward contracts ”). This market shows low liquidity in many Member States but could be boosted across the EU, so that more suppliers or consumers can guard against excessively volatile prices over longer periods of time. The proposal will create regional reference prices via a hub to increase price transparency and oblige system operators to allow transmission rights longer than a year, so that if a forward contract is between parties across regions or borders, they can ensure transmission of the electricity.
  • In addition, to ensure markets that behave competitively and prices are set transparently, regulators’ ability to monitor energy market integrity and transparency will be enhanced.
  • Boost renewables and low carbon investment
  • The proposal seeks to boost renewable energy investment, in order to ensure that deployment triples, in line with European Green Deal goals. This will be achieved partly by improving the markets for long term contracts. Power purchase agreements and contracts for difference not only provide consumers with stable prices, they also give renewable energy suppliers reliable revenues. This lowers their financial risk and greatly reduces their cost of capital. This creates a virtuous circle where stable revenues lower costs and boost demand for renewable energy.
  • Renewable energy is also a better investment when its ability to produce power is not curtailed due to technical constraints in the system. The more flexible the system is (generation that can rapidly turn on or off, storage that can absorb or put power onto the system, or responsive consumers who can increase or decrease their demand for power) the more stable prices can be and the more renewable energy the system can integrate. For this reason, the proposal requires Member States to assess their needs for power system flexibility, establish objectives to deliver on these needs. Member States can design or redesign capacity mechanisms in order to promote low-carbon flexibility. Moreover, the proposal opens the possibility for Member States to introduce new support schemes for non-fossil flexibility such as demand side response and storage.
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