In July 2009, the 3rd Package was adopted by the European Union and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on August 14, 2009. This package includes two directives on electricity and gas respectively, as well as three regulations on access rules to electricity and gas networks and the creation of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). These texts will enter into force on March 3, 2011.

Under Article 6 of Regulation 715/2009 (Gas Regulation), the Commission shall request the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) to submit a non-binding framework guideline setting out clear and objective principles for the development of network codes. At the January 2010 Madrid Forum, ERGEG expressed its intention to continue work on gas balancing, with the goal of preparing input to a framework guideline. On 6 August 2010, the Commission has invited ERGEG to assume the role assigned to the Agency under Article 6(2) of the Gas Regulation and submit to the Commission a non-binding framework guideline on gas balancing rules. ERGEG will present its draft framework guideline on gas balancing to the next Madrid Forum in September 2010.

According to Article 10 of the Regulation (EC) 713/2009 establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, “in carrying out its tasks, in particular in the process of developing Framework Guidelines (...) the Agency shall consult extensively and at an early stage with market participants, transmission system operators, consumers, end-users and, where relevant, competition authorities, without prejudice to their respective competence, in an open and transparent manner, in particular when its tasks concern transmission system operators”.

The purpose of this draft framework guideline is to develop EU-wide principles for a network code for gas balancing, as required in Article 8.6 of the Gas Regulation 715/2009. The document applies to balancing regimes for transmission systems within EU borders and arrangements for cross-border balancing.
ERGEG invites all interested parties to provide comments to the consultation paper – and in particular the questions. Any comments should be received by 28 October 2010 and should be sent by email to fg_gasbalancing@ergeg.org.
Following the public consultation period, ERGEG will publish all comments received from stakeholders. If a respondent would like ERGEG to treat their contribution with confidentiality then this must be explicitly mentioned in their submission.
Any questions on these documents should in the first instance be directed to:
Mrs. Fay Geitona CEER Secretary General
Email: fay.geitona@ceer.eu
Tel. +32 2 788 73 30
Fax +32 2 788 73 50