(09/09/05) Commissie moet oligopolies in gas- en elektriciteitsmarkt voorkomen

• 2005-09-09

Commission has to tackle the oligopolistic behaviour in the EU gas and electricity market

"The actual state of the EU gas and electricity market is critical. Instead of benefits going to large industrial consumers and to small end consumers the former state monopolies are filling their pockets with billions of EURO of undue windfall profits", says Claude Turmes, MEP, Greens.

A study presented by Dr. Felix Christian Matthes from Oeko-Institut gives clear indications that the better market functioning in the UK and in Scandinavia is the result of consistent anti-market dominance policies whereas raising profits of the utilities in continental Europe are heavily induced by market dominance of a few oligopolies like EDF, E.on, RWE.

"There is enough academic evidence (2) showing market collusion between big actors as well as legislative loopholes in the EU internal market legislation."

"Policy has little short term influence on raw energy prices of oil and gas. But policy makers can have an impact on unfair and monopolistic behaviour of market actors. Competition is a key instrument to melt down monopolistic profits which are significant part of the electricity prices. The Commission has to urgently address this root problem. The lessons from past errors as the waiver for the E.on/Ruhrgas take-over or other mega-mergers have to be learnt. The Commission has to be strict on new merger proposals (3) and in addition come up with a third legislative package centred on reducing the actual market dominance of a few oligopolies and by favouring access to the market of new sustainable energy producers", says Claude Turmes.