Energy market liberalization

The paper analyses the functioning of a multi-level governance in the European Union at the example of the development of a single liberalized energy market. The study covers three stages of reforms (the First, Second and Third energy packages). The concept of multiple flows, adapted to the specifics of the EU institutional system, and the concept of principal-agent are used as a methodological basis. The purpose of the study is to identify: 1) factors determining the degree and limits of the autonomy of the European Commission and its ability to influence policy formation; 2) strategies used by the Commission to achieve its goals; and 3) changes in the Commission strategy at different stages of energy market liberalization. 
Given the scale of the resistance to the reforms and the high political importance of the issue, the Commission has consistently followed a consensual approach to develop new rules in order to ensure their legitimacy and not give Member States clear reasons to sabotage implementation. The Commission's strategy was based on a combination of two tracks: legislative reforms and the use of competition policy instruments. The Commission relied on stakeholders and actively used information asymmetry. During the initial stages of the reform, the Commission was extremely prudent. While discussing the Third Package, the Commission acted much more actively and tougher due to the increasing divergence of the interests of the Member States and the opportunity to manoeuvre between them. In the long term, the Commission has consistently worked to form allies "within" the Member States – national energy regulators, seeking to expand their powers and strengthen their independence from national governments.

The European energy market liberalization strategy aims to assign a new role to consumers and end-users’ communities so that they can become active participants on the energy market. In this paper we present the project SOCIALENERGY, EU-funded under the H2020 program. This project aims to promote the EU energy market transformation policy and to deliver supporting instruments. By developing innovative ICT-based tools, the project consortium will empower the EU energy consumers to become more energy efficient and competent. Apart from presenting the advanced features of SOCIALENERGY multi-modular platform, we will highlight the importance of the novel competence-based education (CBE) framework to support educational activities and to promote creation of social communities in the energy efficiency domain.ACM Computing Classification System (1998): J.1, K.3.1, K.4.3, K.5.2.

The European energy market liberalization strategy aims to assign a new role to consumers and end-users’ communities so that they can become active participants on the energy market. In this paper we present the project SOCIALENERGY, EU-funded under the H2020 program. This project aims to promote the EU energy market transformation policy and to deliver supporting instruments. By developing innovative ICT-based tools, the project consortium will empower the EU energy consumers to become more energy efficient and competent. Apart from presenting the advanced features of SOCIALENERGY multi-modular platform, we will highlight the importance of the novel competence-based education (CBE) framework to support educational activities and to promote creation of social communities in the energy efficiency domain.ACM Computing Classification System (1998): J.1, K.3.1, K.4.3, K.5.2.

This paper presents and discusses the founding principles and main functions of a National Regulatory Authority (NRA) with responsibility over the energy sector (Energy Regulator), based on international best practices. It also proposes a concept and an implementation plan for setting an NRA in countries that have planned to open their energy market (and, more specifically, the gas downstream sector).

The European energy market liberalization strategy aims to assign a new role to consumers and end-users’ communities so that they can become active participants on the energy market. In this paper we present the project SOCIALENERGY, EU-funded under the H2020 program. This project aims to promote the EU energy market transformation policy and to deliver supporting instruments. By developing innovative ICT-based tools, the project consortium will empower the EU energy consumers to become more energy efficient and competent. Apart from presenting the advanced features of SOCIALENERGY multi-modular platform, we will highlight the importance of the novel competence-based education (CBE) framework to support educational activities and to promote creation of social communities in the energy efficiency domain . ACM Computing Classification System (1998): J.1, K.3.1, K.4.3, K.5.2.

The ongoing regulatory transformation towards a single European electricity market started several years ago. The rationale of this transformation is that the liberalisation of monopolistic energy structures should lead to the building of sustainable and flexible energy ecosystems, through an energy policy that sets goals in line with the requirements of our epoch, such as sustainable development, energy security, and the promotion of renewable energy sources. In this context, the liberalisation of the electricity market in Greece is explored, which is a complicated case in terms of development as it has only recently begun to exit from a long-term socio-economic crisis and strict adjustment programs. The concepts of energy market liberalisation, energy ecosystems, and energy policy are presented and compared to the main directions of the EU institutional environment and the evolution of the political and institutional framework of Greece. In Greece, an attempt has been made in rece...

The ongoing regulatory transformation towards a single European electricity market started several years ago. The rationale of this transformation is that the liberalisation of monopolistic energy structures should lead to the building of sustainable and flexible energy ecosystems, through an energy policy that sets goals in line with the requirements of our epoch, such as sustainable development, energy security, and the promotion of renewable energy sources. In this context, the liberalisation of the electricity market in Greece is explored, which is a complicated case in terms of development as it has only recently begun to exit from a long-term socio-economic crisis and strict adjustment programs. The concepts of energy market liberalisation, energy ecosystems, and energy policy are presented and compared to the main directions of the EU institutional environment and the evolution of the political and institutional framework of Greece. In Greece, an attempt has been made in recent years to liberalise the electricity market, which is hindered for a long time by socio-economic forces favoured by the monopolistic system of the market. This liberalisation process is also an opportunity for the country to move towards enhancing the structures that can lead to faster and more sustainable development and to maintain the pace of “coupling” with the most developed energy economies of Europe.

When aspiring to identify the origins of the Target Model, we need to look into the very core of the European integration process and the expansion of the common internal market concept into the European energy sector. Th e term "Target Model" essentially describes the process under which EU's Th ird Energy Package is designed around a benchmarking model, thus a "Target Model". It is the result of a long period of work involving the European Commission, ACER, TSOs, national regulators and stakeholders to develop a single market model for the EU. Th e Target Model derives from EU's Th ird Energy Package, a legislative initiative aiming to open up and regulate the internal gas and electricity markets in the EU 1 . Adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in July 2009, the relevant legislation entered into force in early September of the same year.