§ Dr. HowellsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if the United Kingdom Government supports the Italian presidency text of the Commission directive on the European single electricity market. [34350]
§ Mr. EggarAt the Energy Council of 20 June, which I attended, political agreement was reached on a proposal for a Council directive to liberalise electricity markets based on the Italian presidency text. Although the agreement falls short of what the United Kingdom was seeking, it represents an important first step in the opening of the electricity market in the European Union. The United Kingdom, Netherlands and Finland entered a minutes statement regretting that the agreed text did not provide a greater degree of initial market opening and a shorter timetable. That statement also emphasised the importance of ensuring that the directive led to equivalent economic effects in the member states.