5 th GRI Coordination meeting

1. 5th GRI Coordination meeting Brussels, 25th October 2011

2. Agenda

3. Minutes from last meeting • 4th GRI Coordination meeting • Telco held on 19th July • Minutes available in meeting folder in ACER website • Any comment?

4. Update on latest developments • Workplans 2011-2014 from the 3 regions sent to ACER and to the EC until 12th September 2011 • In-depth discussion in the BoR meeting of 6th Sept • WPs presented in the 20th Madrid Forum by Lead Regulators. Reaction by ACER and the Commission • Any further amendment after the MF? • Conclusions from the MF on Regional Initiatives (1) • The Forum welcomes the EU Energy Work Plans 2011-2014 submitted by the gas regional initiatives (GRIs) and thanks the regulators and ACER for this work.

5. Update on latest developments • Conclusions from the MF on Regional Initiatives (2) • The Forum encourages the GRIs to provide greater focus on the prioritisation of their work and in particular to programs on infrastructure development and on pilot projects testing early implementation of framework guidelines and network codes. Given the resource constraints priority should be given to projects that may have a significant added value and feed into the network development process, the development of joint CAM platformsand the offering on a voluntary basis of bundled products. • The Forum welcomes ACER’s coordinating role and encourages ACER and GRIs to coordinate the Work plans further with the stakeholders as well as within and between regions. The Forum invites the lead regulators for each GRI to regularly update the Work program, to provide a regular overview of the meeting schedules to encourage the involvement of Member States and stakeholders and to present progress at each Madrid Forum until 2014.

6. Update on latest developments • Recent progress in the 3 regions • Brief oral update by Lead Regulators

7. Analysis of the current situation • The assessment of the Workplans revealed differences in the level of detail and ambition in the three regions • Probably due to lack of commitment by stakeholders and in particular from TSOs (e.g. NW) • A certain lack of involvement by some NRAs (SSE) is also perceived ACER acknowledges this is not an easy situation for keep progressing in the Regional Initiatives and in particular for Lead Regulators. Moving forward is a big challenge

8. Analysis of the current situation • But despite the difficulties, progress is still possible (e.g. South GRI, concrete projects in NW and SSE) • What are the key issues? Different in the 3 regions: • NW GRI: Lack on engagement by TSO. Reluctance to move on, before the Network Codes are finalised and published • SSE GRI: Different views on the priorities. Lack of involvement by some NRAs. • SGRI: Good progress so far, but maybe too much ambition in the WP and need to focus on main priorities and feasible projects. Goal of this meeting: Make a joint reflection on the strategy to follow in order to maintain progress, get all parties involved and focus on the right priorities.

9. Moving forward: the challenge The objective is moving on and keeping “momentum” in the three regions in line with the MF conclusions, focusing on the right priorities and on feasible projects and getting everyone involved. How to get there? Some elements can help us: • The MF already fixes two priority areas • Programs on infrastructure development (new investments, GRIPs) • Pilot projects testing early implementation of FGs and NCs (e.g. CAM) • The MF sees priority on projects with added value in network development, joint CAM platforms and bundled products • On top of that, advancing in market integration must still be the main driver to achieve the goal of delivering the IEM in 2014 • In the 3rd Package there is already the legal obligation for TSOs to work on certain areas, e.g. network plans (GRIPs)

10. Moving forward: proposed strategy Possible actions to make it possible: • Building upon the deliverables already fixed in the WPs, focus on the most feasible ones, likely to deliver results • Keep focus on market integration and priorities fixed in MF: • CAM: joint platforms, allocation of bundled products • Infrastructure development: new investment projects (OS, priority corridors), GRIPs • Projects for pilot testing of other FGs-NCs (balancing, interoperability?) • Stress the legal obligation for TSOs to work on identified areas • Invite TSOs to next GRI Coordination meeting? Stakeholders? • If progress is still not possible, high level involvement of ACER, Member States and the Commission seems necessary Other views? Any further suggestions?

11. Moving forward: priority projects Possible priority projects and areas in the 3 regions: • From the analysis of the 3 WPs, some deliverables can be identified within the identified priority areas: • South region: OSP Fr-Sp, CAM Sp-Pt, CMP Sp-Fr, South GRIP • SSE region: bundled CAM in At/It IP, extension of GATRAC to IPs Cz/Sk and Sk/At, North South initiative • NW region: work on GRIPs, OS Fr-Lx (coupling could be tested - MF) • Do you agree with the identification of these as priorities? • What is the level of progress? Are these deliverables likely to deliver on time as planned? • Any other project to be identified as a priority?

12. Possible topics for cross-regional integration • It may seem unrealistic at this stage, but we need to look ahead in a cross-regional way to ensure future convergence • The MF conclusions include this approach: “The Forum encourages ACER and GRIs to coordinate the Work plans further with the stakeholders as well as within and between regions” • It would lie within the priority areas fixed in the MF: • Infrastructure development: projects for new investment, GRIPs • CAM: joint platforms, allocation of bundled products (voluntary) • Projects for pilot testing of other FGs-NCs • Initial ideas to start from: • Joint platforms for capacity allocation? Also for balancing? • Possible common methodology for GRIPs? • Pilot testing of other FGs-NCs, e.g. harmonise interoperability aspects? Views? Any further ideas?

13. Coordination of Work plans and monitoring • Regular update and reporting is another important part of GRI work, as asked by the Madrid Forum: “The Forum invites the lead regulators for each GRI to regularly update the Work program, to provide a regular overview of the meeting schedules to encourage the involvement of Member States and stakeholders and to present progress at each Madrid Forum until 2014” • Reporting based on several layers: • Feedback from TSOs and stakeholders to NRAs in the meetings within the regions (SG, IG). ACER has the intention to have regular attendance, and Member States’ one is also desirable • Regular reporting on a quarterly basis: quarterly reports • Annual overview of progress: Status Review of Reg. Initiatives • Others: Annual conference on RIs and update to Madrid Forum

14. Coordination of Work plans and monitoring • Regular reporting: Quarterly reports • Template to be drafted. It will be circulated in due time for comments • Next one to be elaborated: 1st Quarter 2012 • Annual reporting: Status review of Regional Initiatives • Included in ACER Work Programme • Next one to be drafted: 2011 (before the end of the year!). It needs to be approved in ACER BoR meeting of 1st December • Draft template to be sent this week. Focus on monitoring the degree of progress in the implementation of the Work Plans 2011-2014 • Comments welcome until 2nd November

15. Coordination of Work plans and monitoring Status Review of Regional Initiatives 2011 Draft calendar

16. AOB and Next meeting • AOB • Use of ACER website • Monitoring of transparency: in the 20th MF, ACER committed to monitor transparency guidelines in 3rd Package. Included in South and NW WPs. State of play in the regions? • Any other business? • Next meeting • To be scheduled during the second half of November (after the 22-Nov, according to the previous calendar) • In particular, to approve the Status Review 2011 • Relevant dates to be taken into account: - 24th and 25th November: Meetings in NW region (The Hague) - 30th November: AGWG (Ljubljana) - 1st December: BoR meeting

17. Thank you!