text_combined: extending eu gas guidelines central eastern europe cera insight title extending eu gas guidelines central eastern europe url http www 20 cera com eprofile u 35 2184 overview comprehensive reform gas legislation central eastern europe bringing region line european union gas directive true countries expected enter union 2004 05 czech republic estonia hungary poland slovenia candidates whose entry scheduled end decade bulgaria latvia lithuania romania slovakia cera view current developments regarding establishment legal framework internal gas market eastern central europe look promising investor point view candidate countries presented review progress made implementation eu gas directive two day workshop held european commission world bank paris november many countries reforming energy industries throughout 1990 part transition market economy results mixed particularly utility industries 1998 gas directive adopted august 2000 offers compelling incentive eu candidate countries transform gas industries providing road map guide critical points relevant harmonization european union candidate countries include following legal framework regulation legal framework cornerstone enlargement yardstick harmonization europe result candidate countries 1999 2000 energy laws either updated newly established along principles spelled gas directive regulatory bodies created law operating every country although issues staffing financial autonomy independence political influence uniformly resolved third party access tpa long term take pay contracts candidate countries agree tpa key market competition therefore adopted intend new legislation although commission favors regulated tpa specific approaches tpa enforcement candidate countries remain unclear cases particular implementation tpa address issue long term take pay contracts russia signed major domestic gas companies somewhat preempt competition russian gas part sold single traditional state owned operators dominate internal markets balance need struck incumbent dominant players competitive environment made complicated ownership large volumes russian gas supplied kind exchange transit rights west european customers article 25 directive provides derogation companies experiencing difficulties stemming take pay obligations derogation would apply companies candidate countries historical commercial links russian gas industry furthermore article 26 allows derogations member states one major gas supplier emerging gas market status without direct gas connection grid another member state candidate countries would principle able call one grounds derogation join european union price cross subsidies residential gas tariffs artificially low financed partially higher rates applied industrial consumers various countries tariff increases phasing subsidies scheduled decisions remain politically sensitive enforce recently emphasized high gas prices owing linkage imported gas oil prices candidate countries set legal frameworks include phasing cross subsidies part sector reform actual implementation remain politically difficult table 1 indicates price rebalancing already way countries expected enter european union mid decade legal framework guarantee pace reform goes candidate countries recently introduced eu complying energy laws whose entry european union likely happen longer time frame unbundling countries understand unbundling transmission companies supply businesses second critical element liberalization date unbundling accounts two businesses adopted member states candidate countries future commission likely press eu countries legal separation structural unbundling 8 businesses candidate countries pursue reform gas sector accordingly table 1 gives overview state play candidate countries table shows countries belonging second group recently undertaken reform gas sector accordance directive whereas change introduced earlier countries scheduled first wave end follow url full report come shoot rapids us ceraweek 2001 shooting rapids strategies risks energy future houston february 12 16 2001 information register please visit http www 20 cera com ceraweek e mail category insight cera knowledge area european gas make changes cera com account go forgot username password go http www 20 cera com client forgot electronic message attachments contain information cambridge energy research associates inc cera confidential may privileged unauthorized disclosure copying distribution use contents message attachments whole part strictly prohibited terms use http www 20 cera com tos questions comments webmaster cera com copyright 2000 cambridge energy research associates