Council of the European Union and European Parliament 26 June 2003, Directive 2003/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing Directive 96/92/EC - Statements made with regard to decommissioning and waste management activities

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Directive 2003/54/EC establishes common rules for the generation, transmission, distribution, and supply of electricity within the internal market, repealing Directive 96/92/EC, with the principal aim of achieving a competitive, secure, and environmentally sustainable electricity market through non-discriminatory network access and legal unbundling of vertically integrated undertakings. Key provisions require Member States to designate independent regulatory authorities empowered to fix or approve transmission and distribution tariffs, mandate legal separation of transmission and distribution system operators from generation and supply activities, and guarantee universal service and consumer protection rights for household customers and, where appropriate, small enterprises. The Directive further requires progressive market opening to all customers by 1 July 2007, obliges electricity suppliers to disclose the fuel mix and environmental impact of their electricity supply, and is accompanied by interinstitutional and Commission statements underscoring the need for transparent management of decommissioning and waste management funds to prevent distortions of competition in the energy market.AI