ERGEG announced at the XIII Madrid Forum that a public consultation on two reports, the Compliance with Transparency Requirements of Gas Regulation 1775/2005/EC - An ERGEG Monitoring Report and the Transparency Requirements – An ERGEG Additional Monitoring Report would be launched before the end of 2007. Key conclusions of both transparency monitoring reports have already been published and show a striking level of non-compliance with existing transparency requirements of regulation 1775/2005/EC (gas regulation). From the findings of both monitoring reports four areas where further work is needed are identified:

• correct, comprehensive and complete implementation of the gas regulation
• definition of additional transparency requirements
• monitoring of the additional transparency requirements established in the European Commission’s explanatory notes
• granting effective powers to NRAs and setting up sanction mechanisms sufficient to ensure compliance with existing regulation.

The Public Consultation Questionnaire (published on 16^th November 2007) firstly, seeks stakeholders views on whether existing transparency requirements are sufficient or too prescriptive; and whether more transparency requirements are needed. Secondly, it requests specific comments from on several aspects of the information provided by TSOs; transparency standards (particularly regarding historic flows and probability of interruption); and potential improvements to the present situation. Thirdly, it welcomes further explanations from on unclear responses to the questionnaires submitted to them in the process of collecting data for the transparency reports and in particular asks TSOs whether there are any areas where it has not been possible to implement the transparency requirements of the gas regulation. ERGEG invites all interested parties to comment on the understanding and issues raised in this paper. Any comments should be received by 23^nd January 2008 and should be sent by email to: transparency@ergeg.org

Following the end of the public consultation period, ERGEG will publish all comments received from stakeholders. Any respondents wishing ERGEG to treat its contribution as confidential should clearly state this in their reply and endeavor to give any confidential material in annexes that can be separated from publishable non-confidential material.

Any question to this document should in the first instance be directed to:

Mrs Fay Geitona
Email: fay.geitona@ceer.eu
Tel. +32 2 788 73 30
Fax +32 2 788 73 50