Slovakia’s social partners approve EU’s third energy package

Slovakia’s tripartite committee made up of representatives of employers, trade unions and the government, has recommended the cabinet to approve amendments to Slovakia’s energy laws that will transpose the EU's third energy liberalisation package into legislation. Representatives of trade unions and employers both gave support to the draft law.

Slovakia’s tripartite committee made up of representatives of employers, trade unions and the government, has recommended the cabinet to approve amendments to Slovakia’s energy laws that will transpose the EU's third energy liberalisation package into legislation. Representatives of trade unions and employers both gave support to the draft law.

"We organised roundtables with the companies concerned. Of course, full and ideal agreement has not been reached as there are various perceptions of these bills by producers, distributors and consumers," said Economy Minister Tomáš Malatinsky, as quoted by the SITA newswire after the meeting of the social partners.

The tripartite group also discussed a draft amendment to the Commercial Code that is in its second reading in parliament that requires proposals for price increases by energy companies to be approved by shareholders at general meetings and not only by their boards of directors. The employer representatives were able to convince the tripartite group to allow the shareholders to delegate the power to approve price proposals back to the board of directors.

Rules included in the EU’s Third Energy Package are primarily meant to further liberalise gas and electricity markets, improve consumer rights and increase the powers and independence of regulators. After implementation of the Third Energy Package, consumers should be able to switch electricity or gas suppliers within three weeks without cost.

The adoption of the law will entitle consumers of electricity and natural gas to withdraw from a supply contract within seven days of concluding it, a special period provided to consumers to decide about their energy supplier. The draft bill offers a new definition of what are called vulnerable energy consumers. The amendment also provides new unbundling alternatives, i.e., the separation of production and suppliers from the operation of the transmission or transport grids in the form of full ownership unbundling.

Source: SITA

Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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