Brussels, 20/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - Opening a two-day forum on external energy policy on Monday, Commission President José Manuel Barroso confirmed that the Commission would make new proposals to strengthen competition on the European energy market, in the context of the first strategic analysis of EU energy policy next January. These proposals will above all concern the separation of production and electricity transmission activities (“unbundling”) by energy operators. “We intend to propose new measures on ownership unbundling and on regulatory authority to free up energy markets to the benefits of energy consumers”, he told a number of ministers, experts and representatives of the industry. Mr Barroso did not, however, give any details of these measures. According to a source close to Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, the Commission “will not make a legislative proposal in January but will announce its idea of ownership unbundling”. A legislative proposal may be made, however, during 2007. (eh)