The European Parliament’s industry research and energy committee gave its approval on Thursday 26 January to the provisional inter-institutional agreement on the revised mechanism for transparency in inter-governmental agreements (IGAs) in the area of energy. The inter-institutional agreement was concluded in December 2016 and the committee’s approval paves the way for its adoption by the Parliament at the plenary session in March, and then its implementation.
The Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU and Parliament negotiators led by rapporteur Zdzislaw Krasnodebski (ECR, Poland) reached trialogue agreement on 7 December 2016 on revision of the 2012 decision establishing an information mechanism exchange for IGAs and non-binding instruments (such as memoranda of understanding, statements of intent, etc.) between member states and third countries in the field of energy (see EUROPE 11684 and 11685).
To address the deficiencies of the current mechanism and strengthen the EU’s negotiating position with third countries, the revised text introduces, under the terms of this agreement, a compulsory ex-ante evaluation by the Commission of IGAs on gas and oil before they can be signed by EU member states. Member states will only be able to sign IGAs once the Commission has delivered its opinion. In concluding agreements, member states should adhere as much as possible to the Commission opinion.
IGAs on electricity will be subject to a compulsory ex-post evaluation but a review clause has been included in the draft revised text to allow for possible compulsory ex-ante evaluation in future.
The revised IGA transparency mechanism is one of the two flagship proposals (along with review of the 2010 regulation on the security of gas supply) of the gas security package tabled by the Commission in February 2016 (see EUROPE 11491). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)