Brussels, 13/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - ERGEG, representing Europe's energy regulators, has made five suggestions to EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs on the lessons of the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine. The measures should: 1) better coordinate national emergency planning. ERGEG welcomes being represented in the future on the Gas Coordination Group and suggests that member states be required to develop emergency plans, to communicate them to the Commission and to exchange information on the plan through the ERGEG Gas Regional Initiatives; 2) improve regional coordination of pipeline access. The current model for booking gas transport capacity is based on a succession of bilateral transport contracts between a shipper and several transmission system operators (TSOs) but ERGEG suggests that TSOs be invited to establish an independent regionally coordinated capacity management and dispatch; 3) improve gas interconnection between markets; 4) include emergency scenarios in infrastructure planning procedures. ERGEG recommends that TSOs ensure that any infrastructure investment planning also include a number of supply disruption scenarios and proposals for mitigating the effect of future disruptions; and 5) increase transparency through monitoring and early warning. (E.H./transl.fl)