Integrated rules for a divided market

Successive EU initiatives have still not created a single market for energy.

The EU is still some way short of creating an integrated, competitive internal market for energy. The European Commission’s forthcoming communication on a “strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy”, to be published on 9 November, admits that the market remains “fragmented into national markets” and “incumbent companies sometimes have a de facto monopoly position”. As a result, consumers are not benefiting sufficiently from market openings in recent years. 

Various legislative measures and antitrust actions have been aimed at intensifying competition. From 2003, vertically integrated energy companies (those that own generating and transmission businesses) had to ensure the legal separation of the two operations. This was supposed to prevent companies from exploiting their control over transmission networks to favour their supplier businesses by shutting out potential rivals. Investigations by the Commission revealed that legal unbundling had not been sufficient to prevent abuses of market power, and the Commission forced some large companies to sell off their transmission businesses.

Since the 2003 initiative was clearly inadequate, the EU agreed a further liberalisation package in 2009. Stronger measures should ensure greater separation of generating and transmission businesses, including restrictions on staff from one business going to work for another. There are also faster-acting sanctions for non-compliant companies. The new rules will come into force in March 2011.

New regulator

At the same time, a new body, the Agency for Co-ordination of Energy Regulators (ACER), will become fully operational. ACER’s role will be to ensure effective application of the new rules, and particularly to bring an EU-wide perspective to energy-market regulation. Most bottlenecks in the energy market occur at national borders where companies are reluctant to see the free trading of energy affect the national market that they dominate.

ACER’s job will bring it into conflict with national regulators that favour their national champions. It will be able to review companies’ ten-year investment plans to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to providing the interconnectors needed for cross-border trade.

ACER has already started working on technical codes for national transmission system operators to ensure that technical standards are harmonised across the EU, so as not to present a barrier to trading.

The Commission has drawn mixed conclusions on the degree of integration in the EU energy market. The latest report on progress in creating the internal gas and electricity market, published in March, highlighted the importance of regional initiatives. These have been developing single rules for energy auctioning, and represent an important first step in agreeing common EU-wide rules. There will soon be common auctioning rules for an area taking in 15 countries stretching from France across to Poland and down to Greece.

But the wholesale and retail energy markets are heavily concentrated on a limited number of suppliers. On the wholesale gas market, the three largest suppliers have a market share of 90% or more in ten member states. The picture in the retail electricity market is not much different, with three of the largest companies having more than 80% of market share in 14 member states.

Time for action

Energy market observers believe that even the strengthened powers for regulators in the new energy market package will not be enough to ensure an integrated, competitive market. There is already talk of the need for yet another round of legislative proposals. But time is running out.

If the energy sector is to attract the vast amount of investment needed for a new energy infrastructure, then the EU needs to create the right legal framework. Without that infrastructure, the EU will not be able to handle the enormous increase of energy from renewables that is supposed to come online from 2020.

Europe must do more to help Africa shed its resource curse

Helping Africa does not just involve donating money; it also involves stopping the flight of African states’ money into private accounts.

The UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were born amid high hopes in September 2000. Ten years on, the parents fear their brainchild will not live up to expectations, including the halving of poverty by 2015. 

For this anxiety, Europe holds some responsibility, because many EU countries have failed to deliver on their pledges. The European Commission has estimated that its member states still need to find €12 billion to reach their target of spending 0.56% GNI on development assistance in 2010.

As states have habitually failed to stump up themselves, attention is also turning to alternative ways of raising money. Among them is the hotly debated possibility of states raising the money by taxing bank transactions.

But one option – not a substitute, but a vital supplement – receives far too little attention. That option is to halt the disappearance of trillions of dollars (and, now, euros) from public coffers in Africa into private accounts in Europe and elsewhere.

Much of this capital flight is part of what Africans call our ‘resource curse’, the failure to translate mineral wealth into prosperity.

Global Financial Integrity, a research group, has estimated that, on average, fuel-exporting countries in Africa have lost capital at the rate of nearly €8bn each year, far outstripping the €2bn lost by exporters of other commodities each year. This money is pocketed by transnational companies, many of which are European, and their local contact persons in government or in business.

Europe is involved in the problem; it can help in the solution. The EU’s member states can change banking rules that enable African leaders and officials to send state money into unnumbered private bank accounts. They can make sure that big European companies are transparent about the details of the contracts they seal, about the amount of money they give out and about the amount they earn in each of the countries in which they operate. Such information would allow countries’ tax authorities and citizens to hold companies and governments accountable for the money earned on their natural resources.

The EU has recently made statements committing itself to supporting the efforts made by developing countries to plug these leaks. I welcome these statements. But Europe can also take unilateral steps. It does not need to wait for African governments. The vested interests in Africa are substantial. On three occasions, attempts have been made on my life for my efforts to ensure that my country, Congo-Brazzaville, is more transparent about its dealing with foreign oil companies and in defending the human rights of my brothers and sisters. Bullets can kill, but the inactivity of a force as powerful as the EU can do as much – or more – to preserve the resource curse.

The debate about banking secrecy has lasted decades, suggesting to campaigners like myself that European governments are unwilling to weaken vested interests in order to help Africa. But as they discuss the MDGs in New York and consider their contributions, European governments should remember the scale of capital flight – Africa loses more than €1 trillion every year in lost or unclaimed tax revenue – and realise that the more they and other countries do to plug leakages, the less support Africa will need.

Centuries ago, the entreaty to ‘love thy neighbour as thyself’ extended community borders to include all human beings. It is the ancient root of modern ideas of global solidarity, such as universal human rights. Ending banking secrecy and reducing the power of the resource curse should be part of Europe’s solidarity with Africa.

Roderick Parkes is the head of the Brussels office of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.Louis Portella-Mbuyu is a Roman Catholic bishop from Congo-Brazzaville. He is currently visiting Brussels with a delegation of African bishops and development experts organised by the international alliance of Catholic development agencies CIDSE.

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Dimitar Berbatov doesn’t think Jadon Sancho will have to “think twice” if Manchester United come calling this summer.

Borussia Dortmund have slapped a £120million price tag on Sancho with Man Utd and several other clubs heavily linked with a move for the England international.

The Evening Standard claimed on Thursday that Sancho wants to move to United so he can play with three of their players who excite him.

FEATURE: Ranking every Premier League 2019/20 transfer: Nos 138-93

And former Man Utd striker Berbatov reckons Sancho would be a “great addition” at Old Trafford.

“There’s been a lot of talk about Jadon Sancho moving to Manchester United, in his case, because he’s English and Man United are in for you, I don’t think he will think twice about moving there,” Berbatov told Betfair.

“I have said it before, he has the quality, the pace, the goals and the assists to play for them, I’m sure he would like to continue in the national team as well and Gareth Southgate will watch him more if he is playing in the Premier League.

“For me, if they get him he is going to be a great addition but I’m curious to see how they would line up. United have: Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Daniel James, Mason Greenwood and possibly Sancho next season, even though you want that competition for young players it could be tricky to see them all playing at the same time.

“If he is going to move somewhere else, he needs to know that he is going to play regularly, there is no point going somewhere else and not playing as much as you want. Ultimately, it is down to you, when you get the chance to show you can play, you have to take it and show what you can do.

“Also, when you play abroad you always want to go back to your home country. When that happens to be England and the Premier League, you’re going to jump at the chance if the right team comes in for you.

“He could be a great addition, he needs to step up, play, score and advance to the next stage of his development.

“Solskjaer is slowly, but surely, building up a team of young players with a mix of experience, and as we can see, it has been getting results, so it’s good to see them moving in the right direction and if Sancho is next then it will be great for the team.”

 

The F365 Show is on hiatus until the football returns. Subscribe now ready for its glorious comeback. In the meantime, listen to the latest episode of Planet Football’s 2000s podcast, The Broken Metatarsal.

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Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has apologised for “ill-judged and poorly timed” emails to Government in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

In an open letter, the Newcastle owner revealed he has offered the company’s “entire fleet of lorries” to the NHS to help with deliveries during the pandemic.

The businessman was fiercely criticised after he made the ridiculous claim that Sports Direct was essential, before doing a U-turn and closing his stores.

The letter read: “Our intentions were only to seek clarity from the Government as to whether we should keep some of our stores open; we would never have acted against their advice.

“In hindsight, our emails to the Government were ill-judged and poorly timed, when they clearly had much greater pressures than ours to deal with.

“On top of this, our communications to our employees and the public on this was poor.

“To reiterate, I am deeply apologetic about the misunderstandings of the last few days. We will learn from this and will try not to make the same mistakes in the future.”

OPINION: Cartoon villain Ashley hits rock bottom, starts to excavate

Ashley had provoked fury on Monday when Sports Direct emailed all employees within 30 minutes of the Government’s decision to shut down all non-essential retailers to inform them their stores would remain open for business.

They then pushed up the prices – particularly of home gym equipment – by as much as 50 per cent.

The company is still ignoring government guidelines by forcing warehouse workers to continue work amid the ongoing pandemic.

And the Unite union claim that some workers with underlying health conditions have been threatened with dismissal if they attempt to self isolate.

 

The F365 Show is on hiatus until the football returns. Subscribe now ready for its glorious comeback. In the meantime, listen to the latest episode of Planet Football’s 2000s podcast, The Broken Metatarsal.

 

Lee Dixon claims Arsenal legend Thierry Henry likened Anthony Martial to himself early on in his career in the Premier League.

Huge things were expected of Martial after his £58.8m move from Monaco in 2015 but his impact hasn’t been quite as spectacular as some would have predicted.

The Frenchman has been a regular for Man Utd when he’s avoided injury and he’s scored 64 goals in 208 matches in all competitions since moving to Old Trafford.

FEATURE: Ranking every Premier League 2019/20 transfer: Nos 138-93

Henry also had an inconsistent start to life in the Premier League and Dixon has revealed that Henry sees similarities between himself and Martial.

“I talked about that with him [Henry] recently,” Dixon told the Arsenal podcast Handbrake Off.

“We did some work together with Amazon Prime when they had the two games around Christmas time. I presumed he knew Martial because they’re from the same area in France so I asked him about Martial.

“I said, ‘What he’s like?’ and he looked at me with that look that he does as if to say: ‘Have I not already spoken to you about this?’

“And he said, ‘He’s exactly like I was when I came to Arsenal. He needs to go through the process like I did with you lot and I don’t know if the Manchester United dressing room is like that’. He said that was the making of him.

“To liken himself to Martial or another player to him, it really painted a picture of what Martial was like and what his character was like because he’s super-talented like Thierry was and I think his development would have been similar.

“I’m not saying he would have been as good as Thierry – but would have been similar if he had been in the old United dressing room with the characters like what we had in our dressing room. He certainly talks about that as a real learning lesson in his curve to get how brilliant he was.”

Dixon added: “No, we didn’t kick the ball and think what he was thinking in his head but we channeled it into the right areas at the right time and we wouldn’t put up with the stuff when he first came. His not training very hard, being a bit sulky… that wasn’t allowed.

“You’re not allowed to come into our workplace and be like that. It wasn’t a case of allowing him a certain amount of leeway here and there.

“It was: this is how it’s done, this is The Arsenal, this is how we dress, this is how we train and this is what we behave like.

“If you’re in, you’re in and you’ll be one of mates. if you’re not, you’re not. ‘I think that was a big thing for him.”

 

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Gary Neville has recalled how he angered former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo while he was in charge of Valencia.

Neville joined Valencia as manager in December 2015 and was sacked less than four months later.

But he did come up against Ronaldo in a clash against Real Madrid during that time.

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And Neville revealed Ronaldo’s unhappiness at the state of the Mestalla pitch.

He told Sky Sports: “The 2-2 draw with Real Madrid where we almost won it late on was an incredible night.

“Rafa Benitez was Madrid manager and that was his last game before he got sacked.

“What I remember most about that game was our tactic of leaving the grass really long and we didn’t water the pitch so the ball wouldn’t travel as quick in the hope of slowing down Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

 

 

“It was like a farmer’s field.

“Cristiano came over to me before the game and said ‘it’s a disgrace, cut the pitch’ – I said ‘absolutely no chance’.

“There was no way he was dribbling that night.”

 

The F365 Show is on hiatus until the football returns. Subscribe now ready for its glorious comeback. In the meantime, listen to the latest episode of Planet Football’s 2000s podcast, The Broken Metatarsal.

 

Les défections autour du président algérien Abdelaziz Bouteflika sont “des repositionnements claniques, opportunistes”, a estimé jeudi 28 mars sur franceinfo l’opposant Meziane Sadi, secrétaire national aux relations internationales du RCD, un parti algérien laïc. Le membre du Rassemblement pour la culture et la démocratie, dont le parti a proposé hier un plan “pour une transition de rupture”, a dénoncé un “système qui essaie de se régénérer”.franceinfo : Les alliés du président Abdelaziz Bouteflika semblent le lâcher à leur tour. Son départ aujourd’hui ne fait plus aucun doute ?Meziane Sadi : On se pose la question. Quant aux défections, ce sont des repositionnements claniques, opportunistes, comme nous avons l‘habitude de le voir avec le FLN (Front de libération nationale), le RND (Rassemblement national démocratique) et l’UGTA (Union générale des travailleurs algériens). Il y a de cela 5 à 6 semaines, tout le monde était pour le cinquième mandat d’Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Après la mobilisation populaire, ils ont également été pour la reconduction et le report des élections. La semaine d’après, ça a été pour le rallongement du mandat de Bouteflika. En fait, ce sont des questions qui sont largement dépassées par la rue aujourd’hui.Soit Abdelaziz Bouteflika pose lui-même sa démission, soit il est empêché par le Conseil constitutionnel. Et s’il quitte le pouvoir, ce dernier reviendra au président du Conseil de la nation, un senior lui aussi de 77 ans…C’est un système qui essaie de se régénérer. Quelle que soit la situation, ils veulent reprendre la main pour rester au pouvoir. Maintenant, l’option Bouteflika semble être abandonnée. Il s’agira de désigner quelqu’un par des élections fantoches, par les mêmes personnes, les mêmes mécanismes, les mêmes institutions pour que le système perdure, et le problème est là. J’espère que la mobilisation va continuer pour que tout ce système-là dégage : on ne veut plus de repositionnement clanique, on ne veut plus que ce système perdure.Votre parti, le RCD a présenté hier un plan pour une “transition de rupture”. À quoi ressemblerait cette transition ?Il s’agirait d’installer une haute instance pour conduire la transition et réincarner la fonction présidentielle. Une instance composée de trois personnes non partisanes, élues par des grandes corporations comme celles de la magistrature et de l’enseignement supérieur, des personnes en dehors du régime. Il faudra aussi la mise en place d’un gouvernement de salut national, composé de compétences nationales toujours non partisanes. Puis, il faudra surtout installer une instance de gestion des élections, parce que jusqu’à présent le ministère de l’Intérieur a géré toutes les élections avec les fraudes qu’on a connues. Cela comprend aussi l’assainissement du fichier électoral : il y a à peu près 3 millions de voix que le régime s’est réservé jusqu’à présent pour les attribuer au candidat qu’il a toujours présenté.

C’est reparti pour un tour. Après La Roue de la Fortune, Une Famille en Or et Le Juste Prix, TF1 s’apprête à relancer Tournez Manège. Et c’est le trublion Sébastien Cauet qui serait le mieux positionné pour présenter le jeu.

A la foire aux vieux succès, Sébastien Cauet aurait tiré le gros lot. L’ancien animateur de La Méthode «tiendrait la corde» selon les informations du Parisien/Aujourd’hui en France pour prendre les commandes du cultissime Tournez Manège. Sensations fortes garanties.

Selon le journaliste Renaud Saint-Cricq, Cauet aurait littéralement «épaté» la direction. Et pourtant ils étaient nombreux à prétendre au titre d’entremetteur de première (chaine).

Candeur et carré lisse à la Evelyne Leclercq, Flavie Flament était longtemps pressentie. La blondinette avait d’ailleurs tourné plusieurs pilotes du programme alors rebaptisé Dating Games. Mais la demoiselle est passée à la trappe. On a alors pensé à une autre drôle de dame pour prendre la relève de Simone Garnier et faire oublier l’orgue de Charly (Oleg): Christine Bravo. Mais trop imprégnée de la version originale, sa prestation n’a pas séduit.

Fabienne et son émission matrimoniale resteraient-elle sans égales?

Ici où là, on a aussi entendu parler de Bruno Guillon, ex de la matinale d’NRJ, et de Nikos Aliagas privé de Star Academy… Les deux éphèbes ont finalement été écartés du jeu.

Dans ce carrousel de présentateurs seuls Benjamin Castaldi et Sébastien Cauet sont restés en lice. Toujours d’après le quotidien, «la course se joue entre les deux stars de la Une».

Mais le premier éprouvé par les tournages de Secret Story aurait réalisé une «prestation décevante due à la fatigue». Le second en revanche aurait, tapé dans l’œil du patron des programmes, rapporte le journal.

Accrochez-vous bien. Si la chaine choisit Cauet, ce dernier pourrait avoir quelques exigences en retour, comme une présence en seconde partie de soirée…

Le pilote de son nouveau talk-show, intitulé Moins Un Avant Le Week-End a été retoqué par TF1, qui lui a demandé de revoir sa copie pour janvier.

Après le manège, le chantage?

J.B

Lundi 10 août 2009

Vendredi 29 mars, pour la sixième fois, la foule s’est emparée des rues d’Alger (Algérie). Un cortège pacifique et coloré qui affiche ses revendications, souvent avec humour. Ces centaines de milliers de manifestants réclament un véritable changement. “Notre jeunesse attend un nouveau souffle, l’Algérie ne mérite pas ça”, scande une femme. “Le pouvoir doit nous écouter”, réclame une autre.Le chef d’État-Major cible des manifestantsBoulevard Mohamed V à Alger, le passage est bloqué par les forces de l’ordre qui font usage de gaz lacrymogènes et de canons à eau. Malgré ce déploiement exceptionnel, la foule reste impassible. Le chef d’État-Major qui a proposé d’écarter le président Abdelaziz Bouteflika s’est retrouvé lui aussi la cible des manifestants. Ces derniers craignent une nouvelle manœuvre pour que l’actuel pouvoir se maintienne en place.Le JT

• JT de 19/20 du vendredi 29 mars 2019 L’intégrale

Les autres sujets du JT

• 1
  

  Toulouse : 20 ans de prison pour le meurtrier de Patricia Bouchon

• 2
  

  Arjowiggins : le couperet est tombé pour les employés de Bessé-sur-Braye

• 3
  

  Taxe : Gérald Darmanin propose de supprimer la redevance sur l’audiovisuel

• 4
  

  “Gilets jaunes” : manifestations interdites en région

• 5
  

  Grand débat : des élus boycottent Emmanuel Macron

• 6
  

  Brexit : les députés disent encore “No !”

• 7
  

  Brexit : ces Anglais qui choisissent la France

• 8
  

  Santé : l’inquiétude des parents de Sainte-Pazanne face à la multiplication des cancers pédiatriques

• 9
  

  Agnès Varda : une icône de la Nouvelle Vague

Après Frédéric Nihous de Chasse Pêche Nature et Traditions, c’est maintenant Philippe de Villiers qui se greffe à l’UMP. L’idée de Nicolas Sarkozy d’une grande force à droite en marche vers les élections régionales de 2010 risque de lui nuire. Et pour cause, le positionnement et les idées du leader du MPF perturbent les troupes.

Tout a commencé lors de l’investiture de Nicolas Sarkozy pour les présidentielles de 2007. Il se déclarait alors candidat «de tous les Français» et pas seulement de la droite.

Il ne croyait peut-être pas que son appel aux forces opposantes aboutirait, en 2009, à ce grand ralliement de forces allant de la gauche vers la droite nationaliste.

L’ouverture aujourd’hui, c’est le Comité de la majorité présidentielle, qui rassemble des mouvements aussi opposés que la Gauche Moderne de Jean-Marie Bockel, les Progressistes de l’ancien socialiste Eric Besson, les radicaux, le centre, les chasseurs avec Frédéric Nihous et … le Mouvement pour la France, de droite extrême, de Philippe de Villiers.

Ce dernier, vendéen, nationaliste, anti-européen, et favorable à une fermeture complète des frontières à toute forme d’immigration vient d’accepter de rejoindre l’UMP pour la campagne des élections régionales de 2010.

L’ouverture sarkozienne trouve peut-être ses limites avec ce ralliement, puisqu’il sème le trouble chez les leaders déjà rattachés.

Jean-Marie Bockel, secrétaire d’Etat à la Justice et aux Libertés a par exemple déclaré que le rapprochement amorcé par le leader du MPF n’était pour lui «ni anodin, ni facile», et que le «débat au sein de la majorité promettait d’être viril.»

Ce sont notamment les propos sur les «maghrébins et les immigrés» qui nuisent à une position commune et sereine de campagne. «Si les jeunes radicaux se réjouissent qu’un tel débat puisse avoir lieu entre des sensibilités différentes (…) encore faut-il qu’un consensus soit possible, réalisable et constructif», écrit d’ailleurs leur présidente, Annabelle Ferry.

D’autre part, ce ralliement avant même le premier tour risque fort de déplaire aux traditionnels électeurs du MPF: Philippe de Villiers n’était-il pas farouchement opposé à la politique de Nicolas Sarkozy? Ne s’est-il pas battu contre lui depuis 2007?

Le site de Marianne note que Philippe de Villiers est contraint à des «contorsions» pour expliquer cette amorce de nouvelle politique. Le JDD du 9 août l’a interrogé sur la question: «Après avoir accusé Nicolas Sarkozy des pires maux et notamment de mensonge, n’avez-vous pas l’impression de vous renier?», il répond: «Depuis que Nicolas Sarkozy a été élu président, je ne me suis plus attaqué à lui. D’ailleurs, je ne me suis jamais attaqué à sa personne mais seulement à sa politique. Individuellement, nos relations ont toujours été très bonne». Ah bon...

Pour Philippe de Villiers, la stratégie est claire: profiter de l’ «aura» de l’hyperprésident et de l’opportunité de sa croisade d’ouverture pour se recaser. Marre de n’obtenir sous sa bannière que des scores inférieurs à 5%. (lors des dernières élections européennes, MPF et CPNT alliés ont obtenu 4,8% des voix). Cette alliance devrait lui permettre d’obtenir un poste d’élu. L’ancien conseiller de Villiers, Paul-Marie Coûteaux, considère que ce rapprochement symbolise l’abandon des ambitions nationales pour le leader du MPF. A défaut d’être président de la république, autant être reconduit au niveau régional.

C.C.

Samedi 15 août 2009

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