§ Mr. HealeyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 27 October. [15189]
§ Mr. BattleThe Council considered an amended proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas.
The Council discussed the mechanisms to be included in the Directive for opening up natural gas markets to competition on an incremental basis. It also considered the procedures and criteria for the granting of possible derogations from the Directive in respect of financial problems which might arise in a competitive market from the long-term contractual commitments of gas companies. In addition, it discussed a number of other issues relating to the Directive, including the treatment of emergent regions and upstream pipelines, the unbundling of company accounts, the authorisation of distribution and arrangements for access to downstream gas grids.
The Council noted the substantial progress made to date in the negotiations and confirmed its political willingness to reach a common position on the Gas Directive at the next Energy Council on 8 December 1997.