Speech Piebalgs bij koppeling elektriciteits-netwerken Frankrijk en België (en)

Visiting Templeuve on the Franco-Belgian border, Energy Commissioner Piebalgs welcomed the imminent completion of new electricity connections between France and Belgium. Taking advantage of the financial support of the Trans-European Energy Networks, these should make it possible to develop trade and competition in the electricity markets and improve security of supply in the two countries. The Commissioner did, however, emphasise the importance of ensuring that these new capacities are allocated in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner to the benefit of all consumers, and reaffirmed the fundamental rôle of the regulators in this regard. He concluded that "The French and Belgian network operators are cooperating closely both on developing these connections and on the day-to-day management of cross-border flows, and this is a very good example at the European level".

The addition of a second circuit on the Avelin-Avelgem line, brought into service in the last quarter of 2005, will greatly increase the electrical interconnection capacities available at the Franco-Belgian border. This project has been identified as a priority Trans-European Energy Networks project and accordingly has received co-financing of 1.05 million euros from the European Commission for its construction phase.

The strengthening of this connection and other lines planned should allow trade to develop and security of supply to improve between France and Belgium. It should also be a stimulus to competition if the new capacities released are allocated to new market entrants. True independence of the network operators appears here to be the key to successful opening-up of the markets.

The creation of a large internal market for electricity requires sufficient interconnection capacities to allow trade and overcome bottlenecks. These new capacities will make it possible to develop the market in the region, as a first step towards a European internal market.

Existing electrical interconnection capacities are broadly insufficient for increasing trade and commerce in the European market. That is why, at the Barcelona Council in March 2002, the Heads of State and Government agreed to set the objective of reaching a level of electrical interconnection equivalent to at least 10% of their production capacity by 2005.