The European Union (EU) member states on Thursday failed to agree on a plan to split energy giants in a bid to boost competition in the markets.
"Member states have a different view on the internal energy market," Slovenian Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak, whose country holds the EU presidency, said at a press conference after a meeting with EU energy ministers.
In its proposals to reform the EU energy sector, the European Commission called in September for separation of production and supply from transmission networks in a bid to boost competition.
Ownership unbundling is one of the two options preferred by the commission, which will force energy giants, such as RWE and EON in Germany and EDF and Suez in France, to sell off retail distribution networks.
As the second option, the commission also proposed for "independent system operator", which makes it possible for existing vertically integrated companies to retain network ownership, but provided that the assets are actually operated by a company or body completely independent from it.
However, the proposals met strong opposition from several EU member states, led by France and Germany.
Vizjak said though the commission's plan was accepted by a majority of member states, a group of eight EU countries insisted on a third way.
"We must not and we cannot neglect the opinion of member states that have a reservation," Vizjak said, "As the presidency, we have to respect and take into account these viewpoints as well."
Despite the divisions, EU Energy Commissioner Andris Pielbalgs said that there was broad agreement that a deal should be reached by June, i.e., before the end of the Slovenian EU presidency term.
Source: Xinhua
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