HC Deb 20 January 2000 vol 342 cc522-3W
Mr. Gibb

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the electricity market had been opened up to competition as at July 1999 by each of the member states of the EU. [104886]

Mrs. Liddell

The latest information available from the Commission gives the position as follows:

Member state Percentage of market opening by May 1999
Germany 100
Sweden 100
Finland 100
UK 100
Denmark 90
Netherlands 33
Spain 30
Italy 30
Portugal 26
Austria 27

Source:

Vol. 1 of the Second Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the State of Liberalisation of the Energy Markets (May 1999)

France and Luxembourg have not yet implemented the Directive and the Commission has initiated infraction proceedings. Their draft laws, however, provide for market opening of 26 per cent. and 45 per cent. respectively. Belgium, Ireland and Greece have been allowed to delay the implementation of the Electricity Directive, Belgium and Ireland until February 2000, Greece until February 2001.