Energy: internal market in electricity, cross-border exchanges, access to network. 'Electricity Regulation'

The committee adopted the report by Peter MOMBAUR (EPP-ED, D) amending the Commission proposal under the codecision procedure (1st reading). It wanted to ensure that the charges imposed on generators by the relevant system operators for access to the transmission system should be harmonised, in order to avoid distortions in cross-border trade in electricity. Furthermore, while agreeing with the Commission that exporters and importers should not be subject to special charges in addition to the general charge for access to national networks, the committee nevertheless felt that there needed to be exceptions in the case of congestion management. The committee was concerned to ensure that confidential company information obtained by national regulatory authorities and administrations was used purely in order to carry out the tasks set out in the Regulation and would not be transmitted further. MEPs also wanted to ensure coordination between the 15 national regulatory systems to ensure consistency at European level, and therefore called for the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) to submit an annual assessment report to Council and Parliament on those national systems. The CEER could also help, where so requested, in the amicable settlement of any cross-border dispute. Lastly, MEPs proposed a series of amendments relating to the advisory committee, which it wanted to be based on the model of the independent advisory group (the "Committee of European Securities Regulators") established by the Commission in the financial services industry. �