back to routine Brussels with a new offer reform electricity market. Spain, which holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, Twenty seven A new text on the main obstacle still to reaching an agreement: the so-called Contracts for Difference. The document, available to EL PERIÓDICO DE CATALUÑA of Grupo Prensa Ibérica, is very similar to the document sent last July, but nuances about concessions and strengthening control In the redistribution of income from Contracts for Difference state aid countries as the main innovation of the text. The proposal will be the subject of discussion at the table of the permanent ambassadors of the Twenty-Seven (Coreper) who meet this requirement. Wednesday.
“I optimistic In case an agreement is reached in the coming weeks,” said the third vice president and Minister of Ecological Transition. Teresa Ribera, After meeting in Brussels last week European Commission vice-president responsible for coordinating the Green Deal, Maros Sefkovic. “There are some concerns in the future” two big countries about how their position might be reflected and what potential impacts this might have on their industry. And that’s what we need to make them feel comfortable. “But not because there are two countries that should feel comfortable, but because the interests of Europe and the entire Twenty-Seven feel comfortable,” he added.
contracts for differences is a form subsidy Accordingly, a State reaches an agreement with a producer. fixed price long-term electricity purchase and sale. Depending on whether the real price in the market is higher or lower than this reference, the state returns the difference to the producer or vice versa. European Union energy ministers They met in mid June first attempt to close a political agreementbut in the meantime the debate has blown up redistribute income Differences arising from these agreements and their Applicability to facilities Current electricity production
Two important movements he led France and Germany They prevented the discussion from the beginning. First, it wants to apply the subsidy scheme to: existing facilities (The European Commission’s proposal only addresses new investments) to achieve cheap prices for nuclear energy, and the second The income from these vehicles is only consumersAs suggested by Spain and other countries, but also companies to help your industry. Moreover, Poland wants to be kept capacity mechanism subsidies for plants coal-fired power generation.
Already in July, under the chairmanship of Spain, the first draft that softened the interests of the three countries was prepared. In the case of France, expansion of public subsidies to current generationprovided they “substantially” re-enforce or increase their capacity or extend their useful life by “at least 10 years.” In the case of Germany, by introducing this possibility income created by conventions on differences companies “inside ratio Poland was also pleased to open the door for thermal power plants to receive capacity payments.
Now, a new draft sent out last week reinforces those changes but adds some nuances. In the first case, Eliminate the 10-year-old label for life-extending installations and, secondly, for a Member State disrupts competition The European Commission could put an end to this by “making a decision” on the internal market. border” The distribution of this aid to companies and the inclusion of “preventing distortions that may occur in the internal market as a result of redistribution of revenues to companies” among the conditions of its design.
“If the Commission considers that the redistribution of a Member State’s income distorts the internal market, In this case, the European Commission may decide to impose a limitation. “In the new draft, these revenues are allowed to be distributed to companies by the Member State.” Previous Version The role of the European Commission in cases of market abuse “problem suggestions It is aimed to eliminate these distortions.