EC as regards the application of certain provisions in Estonia - Main contents

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dossier	COM(2004)318 - Amendment of Directive 2003/54/EC as regards the application of certain provisions in Estonia.
document	COM(2004)318
date	June 28, 2004

table>(1)During the accession negotiations, Estonia invoked the specific characteristics of its electricity sector to request a transitional period for the application of Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity (1).

(2)	In Annex VI of the Act of Accession, Estonia was granted a transitional period until 31 December 2008 for the application of Article 19(2) of Directive 96/92/EC, relating to the gradual opening of the market.

(3)	Declaration No 8 annexed to the Treaty of Accession recognised moreover that the specific situation relating to the restructuring of the oil shale sector in Estonia was going to require particular efforts until the end of 2012.

(4)	Directive 96/92/EC was replaced by Directive 2003/54/EC which has to be implemented by 1 July 2004 and which has the effect of speeding up the opening of the electricity market.

(5)

By letter of 17 September 2003, Estonia transmitted a request aimed at not applying Article 21(1)(b) of Directive 2003/54/EC, on the opening of the market to non-household customers, until 31 December 2012. In a further letter of 5 December 2003, Estonia indicated that it was planning to achieve the complete opening of the market provided for in Article 21(1)(c) of that Directive by 31 December 2015.

(6)	The request by Estonia is based on a credible restructuring plan for the oil shale sector extending until 31 December 2012.

(7)	Oil shale is the only real indigenous energy resource in Estonia and national production represents almost 84 % of world production. 90 % of the electricity produced in Estonia is from this solid fuel. It is therefore of great strategic importance for security of supply in Estonia.

(8)	The granting of a further derogation for the period 2009 to 2012 will guarantee security of investments in generating plants and security of supply in Estonia while allowing the serious environmental problems created by those plants to be resolved.

(9)	The request made by Estonia should be granted and Directive 2003/54/EC amended accordingly,