madam president this package is i hope more a case of third time lucky than work in progress
i view the future role of the agency for the cooperation of energy regulators as crucial in achieving the long-desired internal market in gas and electricity
during the trialogue negotiations it became clear to me that the improvements put forward by me on behalf of parliament are essential for fair and effective energy markets
my objective has been to create an agency with greater independence and decision-making powers
in particular if it is to contribute effectively to the development of a single competitive energy market the agency needs more powers to tackle cross-border issues and encourage effective cooperation between transmission system operators tsos and national regulatory authorities nras
however with greater power there should be greater accountability and transparency
i have in mind the general principle that we should reinforce the independence of the agency so as to make it both more effective and more credible by increasing the ways in which the agency is accountable in particular to this parliament
i believe this will happen
i should say that a number of the roles we have given to the agency sound more consultative than concrete but we have tried to create opportunities for innovative regulation by drawing attention to areas where action is needed but the agency does not have the appropriate powers to act
let me first emphasise the increased forms of accountability that we have negotiated
the director will appear before the relevant committee of this house both prior to appointment and during his or her term of office to make a statement and answer questions
likewise the chairman of the board of regulators can attend the relevant committee and give an account of their work
parliament has gained the right to nominate two of the members of the administrative board
all of this gives the agency a forum in the public domain to make its voice heard on issues of its choice
turning to the roles i mentioned i believe that monitoring internal markets in gas and electricity participating in the development of network codes contributing to the implementation of the guidelines on trans-european energy networks monitoring progress on implementation of projects to create new interconnector capacity having the power to decide on exemptions from requirements for investments in infrastructure monitoring implementation of the ten year network investment plans and having powers to issue opinions and recommendations to tsos along with other aspects that i do not have the time to enumerate will all give the agency ample opportunities to bring about change
finally we have introduced requirements for streamlined decision-taking
i hope that the agency will rise to the challenges we have posed
we have also created the opportunity for the commission to come forward with its report on the working of the agency and to make suggestions as to further tasks and roles that the agency might fulfil in the light of experience
i would like to thank our fellow rapporteurs the other two institutions and the commissioner in particular for their hard and constructive work in achieving the final compromise package
i hope the fact that i have been invited to speak second not fifth is clear recognition of the true significance and importance of this proposal
