Brussels, 09/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - France, while it remains reticent towards the Commission proposal to totally open the gas and electricity markets to competition in 2005, nevertheless shows readiness over certain points. This is what emerges from the visit that Loyola de Palacio, European Commission for Energy and Transport, made to Paris last Thursday where she met Christian Pierret, French Secretary of State for Energy. According to a Community source, the meeting allowed Mrs de Palacio to find certain "positive" signs in the French position. Admittedly, as France is preparing to cross a election long period, it is unlikely that progress may be rapidly seen as to the date for opening the markets to domestic consumers. On the other hand, with regards to the opening to industrial consumers, Mr Pierret showed himself to be "relatively open", as well as over issues of the pricing of cross-border energy and the independent regulatory authorities. Under these conditions, an agreement could be reached over a certain number of aspects of the Directive on the liberalisation of the gas and electricity markets, at the beginning of 2002, feels in Brussels. During a press conference in Paris, Mrs de Palacio indicated that she would consider as a possibility a final approval of the Directive in the second half of 2002, possibly in the autumn. She also hoped that the provision relating to the pricing of the cross-border energy flows would be approved at the end of the year. This mechanism will enable to build a European market. The Germans are being difficult (…) either we convince them, or we will move forward without them, she stated.