Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1775/2005 (Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 95 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee⁽¹⁾,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions⁽²⁾,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty⁽³⁾,

Whereas:

1. The internal market in natural gas, which has been progressively implemented since 1999, aims to deliver real choice for all consumers in the Community, be they citizens or businesses, new business opportunities and more cross-border trade, so as to achieve efficiency gains, competitive prices and higher standards of service, and to contribute to security of supply and sustainability.

2. Directive 2003/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas⁽⁴⁾ and Regulation (EC) No 1775/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 on conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks⁽⁵⁾ have made significant contributions towards the creation of such an internal market in natural gas.

3. Experience gained in the implementation and monitoring of a first set of Guidelines for Good Practice, adopted by the European Gas Regulatory Forum (the Madrid Forum) in 2002, demonstrates that in order to ensure the full implementation of the rules set out in those guidelines in all Member States, and in order to provide a minimum guarantee of equal market access conditions in practice, it is necessary to provide for them to become legally enforceable.

4. A second set of common rules entitled ‘the Second Guidelines for Good Practice’ was adopted at the meeting of the Madrid Forum on 24 and 25 September 2003 and the purpose of this Regulation is to lay down, on the basis of those guidelines, basic principles and rules regarding network access and third party access services, congestion management, transparency, balancing and the trading of capacity rights.

5. Directive 2009/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas⁽⁶⁾ provides for the possibility of a combined transmission and distribution system operator. The rules set out in this Regulation do not therefore require modification of the organisation of national transmission and distribution systems that are consistent with the relevant provisions of that Directive.

6. High-pressure pipelines linking up local distributors to the gas network which are not primarily used in the context of local distribution are included in the scope of this Regulation.

7. It is necessary to specify the criteria according to which tariffs for access to the network are determined, in order to ensure that they fully comply with the principle of non-discrimination and the needs of a well-functioning internal market and take fully into account the need for system integrity and reflect the actual costs incurred, insofar as such costs correspond to those of an efficient and structurally comparable network operator and are transparent, whilst including appropriate return on investments, and, where appropriate, taking account of the benchmarking of tariffs by the regulatory authorities.

8. In calculating tariffs for access to networks, it is important to take account of the actual costs incurred, insofar as such costs correspond to those of an efficient and structurally comparable network operator, and are transparent, as well as of the need to provide appropriate return on investments and incentives to construct new infrastructure, including special regulatory treatment for new investments as provided for in Directive 2009/73/EC. In that respect, and in particular if effective pipeline-to-pipeline competition exists, the benchmarking of tariffs by the regulatory authorities will be a relevant consideration.

9. The use of market-based arrangements, such as auctions, to determine tariffs has to be compatible with the provisions laid down in Directive 2009/73/EC.

10. A common minimum set of third-party access services is necessary to provide a common minimum standard of access in practice throughout the Community, to ensure that third party access services are sufficiently compatible and to allow the benefits accruing from a well-functioning internal market in natural gas to be exploited.

11. At present, there are obstacles to the sale of gas on equal terms, without discrimination or disadvantage in the Community. In particular, non-discriminatory network access and an equally effective level of regulatory supervision do not yet exist in each Member State, and isolated markets persist.

12. A sufficient level of cross-border gas interconnection capacity should be achieved and market integration fostered in order to complete the internal market in natural gas.

13. The Communication of the Commission of 10 January 2007 entitled ‘An Energy Policy for Europe’ highlighted the importance of completing the internal market in natural gas and creating a level playing field for all natural gas undertakings in the Community. The Communications of the Commission of 10 January 2007 entitled ‘Prospects for the internal gas and electricity market’ and ‘Inquiry pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 into the European gas and electricity sectors (Final Report)’ demonstrated that the present rules and measures neither provide the necessary framework nor provide for the creation of interconnection capacities to achieve the objective of a well-functioning, efficient and open internal market.

14. In addition to thoroughly implementing the existing regulatory framework, the regulatory framework for the internal market in natural gas set out in Regulation (EC) No 1775/2005 should be adapted in line with those communications.

15. In particular, increased cooperation and coordination among transmission system operators is required to create network codes for providing and managing effective and transparent access to the transmission networks across borders, and to ensure coordinated and sufficiently forward looking planning and sound technical evolution of the transmission system in the Community, including the creation of interconnection capacities, with due regard to the environment. The network codes should be in line with framework guidelines which are non-binding in nature (framework guidelines) and which are developed by the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators established by Regulation (EC) No 713/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators⁽⁷⁾ (the Agency). The Agency should have a role in reviewing, based on matters of fact, draft network codes, including their compliance with the framework guidelines, and it should be enabled to recommend them for adoption by the Commission. The Agency should assess proposed amendments to the network codes and it should be enabled to recommend them for adoption by the Commission. Transmission system operators should operate their networks in accordance with those network codes.

16. In order to ensure optimal management of the gas transmission network in the Community a European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (the ENTSO for Gas), should be established. The tasks of the ENTSO for Gas should be carried out in compliance with Community competition rules which remain applicable to the decisions of the ENTSO for Gas. The tasks of the ENTSO for Gas should be well-defined and its working method should ensure efficiency, transparency and the representative nature of the ENTSO for Gas. The network codes prepared by the ENTSO for Gas are not intended to replace the necessary national network codes for non cross-border issues. Given that more effective progress may be achieved through an approach at regional level, transmission system operators should set up regional structures within the overall cooperation structure, whilst ensuring that results at regional level are compatible with network codes and non-binding ten-year network development plans at Community level. Cooperation within such regional structures presupposes effective unbundling of network activities from production and supply activities. In the absence of such unbundling, regional cooperation between transmission system operators gives rise to a risk of anti-competitive conduct. Member States should promote cooperation and monitor the effectiveness of the network operations at regional level. Cooperation at regional level should be compatible with progress towards a competitive and efficient internal market in gas.

17. All market participants have an interest in the work expected of the ENTSO for Gas. An effective consultation process is therefore essential and existing structures set up to facilitate and streamline the consultation process, such as the European Association for the Streamlining of Energy Exchange, national regulators or the Agency should play an important role.

18. In order to ensure greater transparency regarding the development of the gas transmission network in the Community, the ENTSO for Gas should draw up, publish and regularly update a non-binding Community-wide ten-year network development plan (Community-wide network development plan). Viable gas transmission networks and necessary regional interconnections, relevant from a commercial or security of supply point of view, should be included in that network development plan.

19. To enhance competition through liquid wholesale markets for gas, it is vital that gas can be traded independently of its location in the system. The only way to do this is to give network users the freedom to book entry and exit capacity independently, thereby creating gas transport through zones instead of along contractual paths. The preference for entry-exit systems to facilitate the development of competition was already expressed by most stakeholders at the 6th Madrid Forum on 30 and 31 October 2002. Tariffs should not be dependent on the transport route. The tariff set for one or more entry points should therefore not be related to the tariff set for one or more exit points, and vice versa.

20. References to harmonised transport contracts in the context of non-discriminatory access to the network of transmission system operators do not mean that the terms and conditions of the transport contracts of a particular system operator in a Member State must be the same as those of another transmission system operator in that Member State or in another Member State, unless minimum requirements are set which must be met by all transport contracts.

21. There is substantial contractual congestion in the gas networks. The congestion-management and capacity-allocation principles for new or newly negotiated contracts are therefore based on the freeing-up of unused capacity by enabling network users to sublet or resell their contracted capacities and the obligation of transmission system operators to offer unused capacity to the market, at least on a day-ahead and interruptible basis. Given the large proportion of existing contracts and the need to create a true level playing field between users of new and existing capacity, those principles should be applied to all contracted capacity, including existing contracts.

22. Although physical congestion of networks is, at present, rarely a problem in the Community, it may become one in the future. It is important, therefore, to provide the basic principle for the allocation of congested capacity in such circumstances.

23. Market monitoring undertaken over recent years by the national regulatory authorities and by the Commission has shown that current transparency requirements and rules on access to infrastructure are not sufficient to secure a genuine, well-functioning, open and efficient internal market in gas.

24. Equal access to information on the physical status and efficiency of the system is necessary to enable all market participants to assess the overall demand and supply situation and to identify the reasons for movements in the wholesale price. This includes more precise information on supply and demand, network capacity, flows and maintenance, balancing and availability and usage of storage. The importance of that information for the functioning of the market requires alleviating existing limitations to publication for confidentiality reasons.

25. Confidentiality requirements for commercially sensitive information are, however, particularly relevant where data of a commercially strategic nature for the company are concerned, where there is only one single user for a storage facility, or where data are concerned regarding exit points within a system or subsystem that is not connected to another transmission or distribution system but to a single industrial final customer, where the publication of such data would reveal confidential information as to the production process of that customer.

26. To enhance trust in the market, its participants need to be sure that those engaging in abusive behaviour can be subjected to effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties. The competent authorities should be given the competence to investigate effectively allegations of market abuse. To that end, it is necessary that competent authorities have access to data that provides information on operational decisions made by supply undertakings. In the gas market, all those decisions are communicated to the system operators in the form of capacity reservations, nominations and realised flows. System operators should keep information in relation thereto available to and easily accessible by the competent authorities for a fixed period of time. The competent authorities should, furthermore, regularly monitor the compliance of the transmission system operators with the rules.

27. Access to gas storage facilities and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities is insufficient in some Member States, and therefore the implementation of the existing rules needs to be improved. Monitoring by the European Regulators' Group for Electricity and Gas concluded that the voluntary guidelines for good third-party access practice for storage system operators, agreed by all stakeholders at the Madrid Forum, are being insufficiently applied and therefore need to be made binding.

28. Non-discriminatory and transparent balancing systems for gas, operated by transmission system operators, are important mechanisms, particularly for new market entrants which may have more difficulty balancing their overall sales portfolio than companies already established within a relevant market. It is therefore necessary to lay down rules to ensure that transmission system operators operate such mechanisms in a manner compatible with non-discriminatory, transparent and effective access conditions to the network.

29. The trading of primary capacity rights is an important part of developing a competitive market and creating liquidity. This Regulation should therefore lay down basic rules relating to such trading.

30. National regulatory authorities should ensure compliance with the rules contained in this Regulation and the Guidelines adopted pursuant thereto.

31. In the Guidelines annexed to this Regulation, specific detailed implementing rules are defined on the basis of the Second Guidelines for Good Practice. Where appropriate, those rules will evolve over time, taking into account the differences of national gas systems.

32. When proposing to amend the Guidelines annexed to this Regulation, the Commission should ensure prior consultation of all relevant parties concerned with the Guidelines, represented by the professional organisations, and of the Member States within the Madrid Forum.

33. The Member States and the competent national authorities should be required to provide relevant information to the Commission. Such information should be treated confidentially by the Commission.

34. This Regulation and the Guidelines adopted in accordance with it are without prejudice to the application of the Community rules on competition.

35. The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission⁽⁸⁾.

36. In particular, the Commission should be empowered to establish or adopt the Guidelines necessary for providing the minimum degree of harmonisation required to achieve the aims of this Regulation. Since those measures are of general scope and are designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation, inter alia by supplementing it with new non-essential elements, they must be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC.

37. Since the objective of this Regulation, namely the setting of fair rules for access conditions to natural gas transmission networks, storage and LNG facilities cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.

38. Given the scope of the amendments that are being made herein to Regulation (EC) No 1775/2005, it is desirable, for reasons of clarity and rationalisation, that the provisions in question should be recast by bringing them all together in a single text in a new Regulation,

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