Strengthening of the role of regulators at national and Community level

2.2.2. Co-ordination of regulators at EU level

I tend to see the Level Three Committees of regulators in particular as allies for the public interest and the protection of consumers and expert users.

7. Welcomes the Commission's proposal to enhance cooperation between national regulators at EU level, through an EU entity, as a way to promote a more European approach to regulation on cross-border issues; considers that increased convergence and harmonisation of the competences of national regulators is essential to overcome technical and regulatory differences that impose serious barriers to cross-border trade and interconnections; emphasises that the Commission should play a determining role, whilst not undermining the independence of national regulators; believes that decisions by the regulators should be made on specifically def ...[+++]ined technical and trade issues and on an informed basis considering, where appropriate, the views of transmission system operators (TSOs) and other relevant stakeholders, and should be legally binding;

In this sense, it is possible either to improve the present approach, with the disadvantage of continuing to rely on voluntary agreements between 27 national regulators often with different interests, or to formalise the role of the European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG) into a European Network of Independent Regulators (ERGEG +), or lastly to set up a new single body at Community level.

86. Calls on the Member States to grant powers to national regulators, agreed at EU level, to deliver on cross–border electricity and gas transmission, including non–discriminatory grid access, transmission tariffs, capacity allocation, congestion management procurement and network operating, and a clear timetable for bids in the energy market; considers that national regulators should also insist on the need for network operators to act in the interests of European consumers; considers that, before a European regulator is established, the areas of responsibility of Member State regulators should be harmonised in order to ensure greate ...[+++]r consistency of action aimed at improving the way the market works;