Brussels, 02/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - The managing directors of 36 European transmission system operators (TSOs) signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday 27 June 2008 to create and join a European network of TSOs by the end of the year known as ENTSO-E. This move was welcomed by the EU energy commissioner as a way of ensuring progress in the 3rd EU package of legislation to free up the single energy market, and as a way of respecting the principles set out in the package. In draft legislation published in September 2007 (see EUROPE 9505), the Commission suggested formalising the existing EU groupings - ETSO for electricity and GTE for gas - to strengthen their cooperation with TSOs in a number of key areas like introducing common technical and commercial network codes and coordinating network development and use in order to boost integration in the European electricity market. (E.H./transl.fl)