Liberalisation of energy markets is in everyone's interest
Posted, May 07, 2008 @ 00:00
Competitive and efficient - ownership unbundling is way forward for EU
Brussels, 7th May 2008 -- MEPs have endorsed controversial plans to force huge mainland European energy groups to sell off their power transmission networks and open up the EU market to greater competition.
Giles Chichester MEP, Conservative Leader in the European Parliament, says that liberalised and competitive energy markets are the only way to benefit consumers and companies across Europe by ensuring fair play and making certain that dominant positions are not established without challenge.
He said:
"I am strongly in favour of ownership unbundling because I have seen it and believe it is a good model.
"Having a fully competitive market is in everyone's interest. It is in the interest of consumers because it means energy is supplied and delivered at the most competitive rate. It also means an improved service to consumers and that is a very important consideration. In a competitive environment, companies tend to be more interested in helping to solve consumers' problems than they might otherwise be.
"But it is also in the interests of the companies. It makes the various players in the market more efficient and hopefully more profitable. It makes a more efficient use of our finite energy resource.
"One of our needs in Europe is to be competitive. We need a competitive supply of energy. Energy is the second most important thing in the world after food. It is very important to our standard of life and to our economy. It is essential and as such it should be efficient and it should be competitive."