The old vertical structures of EC energy markets are slowly fading away. The latest attempt to move away from this model is the Commission proposal on ownership unbundling. The proposal introduces two alternative regimes. States may choose between full ownership unbundling and a mere control unbundling. Some States and their powerful energy companies have voiced concerns over the compatibility of ownership unbundling with fundamental rights and general principles of Community law.
This article discusses the Commission proposal in detail. It also examines the alleged conflict between full ownership unbundling and the fundamental rights and general principles of EC law.
Arai-TakahashiY., 2002, The Margin of Appreciation Doctrine and the Principle of Proportionality in the jurisprudence of the ECHR, Intersentia, Antwerp-Oxford-New York.
2.
BaarsmaB.De NooijM.KosterW.Van Der WeijdenC., 2007, “Divide and rule. The economic and legal implications of the proposed ownership unbundling of distribution and supply companies in the Dutch electricity sector”, Energy Policy, 35, 1785.
CameronP. D., 2005, Legal aspects of energy regulation: Implementing the new directives of electricity and gas across Europe, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
6.
Campbell-WhiteF., 1995, “Property rights: A forgotten issue under the Union”, in NeuwhalN.A.RosasA., The European Union and Human Rights, M. Nijhoff, The Hague.
7.
CarusoD., 2004, “Private Law and Public Stakes in European Integration: The Case of Property”, European Law Journal, 751.
8.
CicirielloM.C., 1999, Il principio di proporzionalità nel diritto comunitario, Editoriale Scientifica, Napoli.
9.
DanieleL., 1998, “La tutela del diritto di proprietà e del diritto al libero esercizio delle attività economiche nell'ordinamento comunitario e nel sistema della Convenzione europea dei diritti dell'uomo”, Il Diritto dell'Unione Europea, 56.
10.
De BurcaG., 1993, “The Principle of Proportionality and its application in EC Law”, YEL, 13, 105.
11.
EllisE., 1999, The Principle of Proportionality in the Laws of Europe, Hart Publishing, Oxford-Portland Oregon.
12.
EmiliouN., 1996, The Principle of Proportionality in European Law: A Comparative Study, Kluwer Law International, London-The Hague-Boston.
13.
Ergeg, 2007, 3rd Legislative Package Input Paper 1: Unbundling, C07-SER-13-06-1–PD.
14.
European Commission, 2004, Note on Directives 2003/54/EC and 2003/55/EC on the Internal Market in Electricity and Natural Gas, The Unbundling Regime.
15.
European Commission, 2006a, Inquiry pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EC) no. 1/2003 into the European gas and electricity sectors (Final Report), COM(2006) 851.
16.
European Commission, 2006b, The Commission to act over EU energy markets, MEMO/06/481.
17.
European Commission, 2007a, Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, Prospects for the internal gas and electricity market, COM(2006) 841.
18.
European Commission, 2007b, Competition report on energy sector inquiry, SEC(2006) 1724.
19.
European Parliament, 2007, Draft report on Prospects for the internal gas and electricity market, (2007/2089(INI)).
20.
FaullJ.NikpayA., 2007, The EC Law of Competition (2nd edition), Oxford University Press, Oxford.
21.
ForumFlorence, 2007, Conclusions of the XIVth European Electricity Regulatory Forum, Florence.
22.
HeldC, 2007, Ownership unbundling and Independent system Operator – New Regulatory Approaches to the European Electricity and Gas Markets, 2nd Conference on Energy economics and Technology, Dresden.
23.
JonesC. W., 2004, The Internal Energy Market – EU Energy Law – Vol. I, Leuven.
24.
JoskowP., 2005, Vertical Integration. American Bar Association Antitrust Section's “Issues in Competition Law and Policy” project.
25.
JoskowP., 2007a, Prepared Remarks for FERC Technical Conference on Wholesale Electricity Markets.
26.
JoskowP., 2007b, “Competitive Electricity Markets and Investment in New Generating Capacity”, in HelmD., “The New Energy Paradigm”, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
27.
JoskowP.TiroleJ., 2000, “Transmission Rights and Market Power on Electric Power Networks”, RAND Journal of Economics, 31, 3, 450.
28.
KroesN., 2007a, A New European energy policy; reaping the benefits of open and competitive markets, SPEECH/07/63.
29.
KroesN., 2007b, More competition and greater energy security in the Single European Market for electricity and gas, SPEECH/07/212.
30.
LenaertsK.VanvoordenK., 2006, “The right to property in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Communities”, in VanderbergheH. (ed.), Propriété et droits de l'homme / Property and human rights, Bruylant, Bruxelles.
31.
LundbergG., 2007, Towards Regional Independent Operators: A main driver for successful market integration, Eurelectric Discussion Paper.
32.
MalmendierB.SchendelJ., 2006, “Unbundling Germany's Energy Networks”, Journal of Energy and Natural Resources law, vol. 24, no 3.
33.
PollittM., 2007, The arguments for and against ownership unbundling of energy transmission networks, Cambridge Working Papers in Economics No. 0737.
34.
PradurouxS., 2007, “Il diritto di proprietà nel diritto comunitario: Principi fondamentali e ‘self-restraint’ della Corte di Giustizia”, Rivista critica del diritto privato, 2, 283.
35.
IglesiasRodriguez G., 2004, “The Court of Justice, Principles of EC Law, Court Reform and Constitutional Adjudication”, European Business Law Review, 1120.
36.
SmitH.HerzogP.E., 1998, “Preliminary Observations on Article 222”, in SmitH.HerzogP.E., The Law of the European Community – A Commentary on the EEC Treaty, Vol. 5, Matthew Bender, New York.
37.
Study Group on a European Civil Code, 2000, The Private Law Systems in the EU: Discrimination on ground of nationality and the need for a European Civil Code, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/workingpapers/juri/default_en.htm. (Lastvisited 10 April 2008.)
38.
TalusK., 2007 a, “Long-term gas agreements and security of supply – between law and politics”, European Law Review, 32, 4, 535.
39.
TalusK., 2007 b, “Role of the European Court of Justice in the Opening of Energy Markets”, ERA FORUM, 3.
40.
TalusK.ZimmermannC., 2007, “Regulation of Electricity Markets at the EU Level”, OGEL, 5, 1.
41.
TalusK., 2006, “First Interpretation of Energy Market Directives by European Court of Justice – Case C-17/03, Vereniging voor Energie”, Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, 24, 39.
42.
TalusK.WaldeT., 2007, “Electricity interconnectors in EU law: Energy security, long-term infrastructure contracts and competition law”, European Law Review, 32, 125.
43.
TalusK.WäldeT., 2006, “Electricity Interconnectors – a Serious Challenge for EC Competition Law”, Competition and Regulation in Network Industries3, 355.
TridimasT., 2006, The General Principles of EU Law, IIa Ed., Oxford University Press, Oxford.
46.
TridimasT., 1999, “Proportionality in Community Law: Searching for the Appropriate Standard of Scrutiny”, in EllisE., 1999, The Principle of Proportionality in the Laws of Europe.
47.
Van ErpS., 2003, “Civil and Common Property Law: Caveat Comparator – The Value of Legal Historical – Comparative Analysis”, European Review of Private Law, 394.
48.
ZafirovaZ., 2007, “Unbundling the network: The case for ownership unbundling”, International Energy Law & Taxation Review, 2, 29.
