Europe's Political Economy

Time to act: the case for developing Europe's electricity market

An Internal Market for electricity would offer European consumers and businesses numerous advantages, helping to drive sustainable economic growth and providing secure energy supplies at competitive prices, argues Serban Chiorean-Sime in this EPC Policy Brief.

Since the 1990s, the EU institutions have been attempting to develop a regulatory framework that would push for more integration of national electricity markets.

Yet implementation by member states has been slow, and progress is still being hindered by many obstacles. Germany’s recent decision to phase out nuclear power by 2022 and Europe’s need to better integrate renewable energy sources into the grid make the development of a Single Electricity Market a greater necessity than ever before.

The Policy Brief calls for a functioning Internal Market for electricity, and analyses the opportunities and challenges with regard to the creation of such a market.

An Internal Market for electricity would offer European consumers and businesses numerous advantages, helping to drive sustainable economic growth and providing secure energy supplies at competitive prices.