Energy News – 14th Issue-Emission Rights
Energy Markets
EU: Problem of High Energy Prices Addressed in Different Papers both by the European Commission and the Council
Bulgaria: Commission for Protection of Competition Initiates
Proceedings against the three Main Electricity Distribution Companies
Electricity
EU: Decision Annulling Commission’s Decision on PPC’s Lignite
Exploration Rights Was Repealed by the Court – New Law for Creation of Small PPC Issued
Greece: Commission Approves Planned Financial Aid to Energy- Intensive Industry Suffering Increased Costs Due to Emission Rights
On 30 June 2014, the European Commission reached a decision not to raise objections against a state aid
measure which was submitted by the Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change on 16 April 2014
regarding planned financial measures in favour of energy-intensive sectors of the Greek industry in order to
compensate for increased energy costs resulting from greenhouse gas emissions rights payable by power
producers. Following Directive 2009/29/EC by which free allocation of emission rights was abolished in respect of
power producers as from 1 January 2013, increased costs emerged for power producers which were subsequently
passed on to electricity consumers in the form of increases in electricity tariffs. However, according to Article 10a
par. 6 of the same Directive, Member States are entitled to adopt financial measures in favour of sectors
determined to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage due to costs relating to greenhouse gas emissions
passed on in electricity prices, in order to compensate for those costs provided that such financial measures are in
accordance with state aid rules applicable. “Carbon leakage” describes the prospect of an increase in global
greenhouse gas emissions when companies shift production outside the Union because they cannot pass on the
cost increases induced in the context of the EU greenhouse emissions trading scheme to their customers without
significant loss of market share. In this regard, Commission Decision 2010/2/EU of 24 December 2009, as
amended, determines a list of specific sectors and subsectors which are deemed to be exposed to a significant risk
of carbon leakage, being thus eligible for receiving financial aid by the Member States according to the above. With
regard to Greece, a ministerial decision shall be soon issued defining the exact measures of financial aid to certain
energy-intensive sectors of the Greek industry for a validity period up to 31 December 2020
FYR of Macedonia: New Electricity Supply Code under Way
Croatia: Decision on the Tariff Rates for the Services of the Electricity Supplier of Last Resort
Oil & Gas
Poland: Amendment Voted Introducing a Single Hydrocarbons Licence
Romania: Urgency Enactment Amending Law 238/2004 on Petroleum
Renewables
EU: CJEU Approves Attribution of Green Certificates Only to Local
Producers
EU: European Commission Approves Czech RES Scheme
Greece: Supreme Administrative Court Rejects Appeal against the
Special Levy Imposed on RES Producers
Croatia: Amendment to the Ordinance on Acquiring the Status of a
Privileged Electricity Producer
Energy Infrastructure & Grids
EU: ENTSO-E’s Issuance of the European Ten-Year Network
Development Plan 2014
Serbia: Draft Distribution Network Code for Natural Gas Presented for
Public Consultation
Bulgaria-Greece: Second Bidding Phase Opened for Allocation of Capacity on the IGB Interconnector
Nuclear Energy
EU: Council Adopts Amendment of Directive 2009/71/Euratom
Establishing a Community Framework for the Nuclear Safety of Nuclear Installations
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