The EU is striving to create a single electricity market. A completion date of 2014 has been set. EU legislation has been passed. Moves are being made to implement the legislation by the provision of codes and guidance.
However, much still remains to be done. Will sufficient interconnection be built between national markets to create an internal market? Is there a need to ensure greater co-ordination of national policies in an internal market given the greater interdependence of national markets? To what degree will national markets, such as Ireland’s, be able to retain existing market arrangements or will inevitably there be a move to a one size fits all EU model of organising markets? What are the benefits and costs of the internal market? Will the creation of the internal market resolve the completion issues raised in DG Competition’s energy sector inquiry? These and other issues will be addressed by Philip Lowe.