The Regional Initiatives, launched by ERGEG in Spring 2006, create 7 electricity and 3 gas regions Energy as a staging post towards a single energy market. These regions identify and implement practical solutions to overcome barriers to competition and trade within the region.  Evidence shows that the regions are already delivering significant improvements. Safeguards are in place to ensure that progress within the regions facilitates the ultimate objective, a single-EU market for electricity and gas.

The European Commission’s third energy liberalisation package proposals (Sept. 2007) provides a legislative framework to make the transition to a single competitive EU gas and electricity market.  The third package contains a number of regional provisions for Member States, regulators and network operators.

The 2008 Regional Initiatives conference, hosted by ERGEG and the European Commission, provided an opportunity to assess the role of the ERGEG Regional Initiatives in further facilitating regional market integration and in the future implementation of the new legislative requirements. 

Distinguished speakers and panellists at the conference included two of the European Parliament’s rapporteurs on the 3rd energy package (MEPs Paparizov and Vidal-Quadras), two of the EU coordinators on key energy projects (Prof. Mario Monti and Mr. Adamowitsch), as well as high level representatives from the Commission, ERGEG and industry. See the conference proceedings below.