Brussels, 08/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - As the European Commissioner for energy, Loyola de Palacio announced (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.13), the Commission decided on Tuesday to refer France to the European Court of Justice for not having transposed the directive on the liberalisation of the gas markets by the deadline of 11 August 2000. "France has informed the Commission about draft legislation adopted by the government on 17 May 2000. However, this draft legislation still waits adoption by the French Parliament. No date has as of yet been fixed for final adoption", the Commission stresses in a press release. It regrets that "no legal basis has yet been created in France for implementing the Directive, despite the unanimous appeal by the European Council of Lisbon in March 2000 for speeding up the liberalisation of the European gas and electricity market, and despite progress made in other Member States".
The Commission had initiated proceedings against France and Germany last December. The German Government, which had already transposed part of the directive, however, lodged a bill before parliament completing the transposition and that should be adopted this summer, Commission sources tell us. "The Commission is examining the situation in Germany to determine whether further measures in this respect are necessary", it stipulates in its press release. It also states that Portugal and Luxembourg, against which proceedings had also been initiated, have meanwhile completed their transposition procedures.