WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.97.425
16September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3644)
Original: English Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: NETHERLANDS
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Ministry ofEconomic Affairs
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above: National Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Thetechnical regulations
relate toelectricity.
5. Titleandnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: BillGoverning Rules withRegard
totheProduction, Distribution andSupply ofElectricity (Electricity Law...)(Available
inEnglish).
6. Description ofcontent: Thefirstaimofthebillistoregulate theoperation ofelectricity
networks. Anetwork operator hastobedesignated (Articles 10-15), bothforthehigh
voltage gridandfortheother networks. Asupervisory body shall establish thetariff
structure, thetariffs andtechnical conditions which network operators have toapply
when theyconnect customers tothegridandtransport electricity (Articles 24-26). Ifa
certain quantity ofelectricity willbeimported, theMinister forEconomic Affairs must
beinformed. Hecanissue adecree inorder tolimit theimport ofelectricity ifthisis
necessary toavoid adisequilibrium intheopening ofelectricity markets
(Articles 28-31). The rules regarding network operation serve toimplement
Directive No.96/92/EC relating tocommunity rules fortheinternal electricity market.
Thesecond aimofthebillistoregulate thesupply ofelectricity tothose
customers who arenotappointed aseligible customers (viz. Article 19of
Directive 96/92/Ec). Distribution companies areonly permitted tosupply tosuch
consumers iftheyholdalicence forthispurpose (Articles 36-37). Ifsuchconsumers
produce electricity themselves, thelicence holders have tobuytheexcess amount of
electricity, which theydonotconsume themselves, from them (Article 49). Tariffs for
supply andresale ofelectricity aresetbytheMinistry forEconomic Affairs. Thethird
aimofthebillistocreate measures forthepromotion ofproduction andconsumption of
electricity from renewable sources. Technical andfinancial measures arethereby set
down forthepurpose ofpromoting electricity production using renewable sources by
introducing certificates for"green power" which consumers ofelectricity willbeobliged
toobtain (Articles 51-55).
./.G/TBT/Notif.97.425
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7. Objective andrationale: Thebillimplements Directive 96/92/EC andleads toa
liberalization oftheproduction andsupply ofelectricity. Regulation theremaining
monopoly ofnetwork operators withregard toelectricity transports isnecessary inorder
toprevent anyrestrictions incompetition. Liberalisation willoccur gradually; aslong
ascertain groups ofconsumers donothavefreeaccess totheelectricity market, theyare
protected aselectricity must besupplied tothem against regulated tariffs. Inorder to
reduce theneedfortheutilisation offossil fuels asanenergy source, toguard against
harmful emissions andtoconserve energy, theproduction ofelectricity using renewable
sources ispromoted whereby, inter alia,itwillbestipulated thataproportion ofthe
electricity consumed must havebeenproduced withrenewable energy sources.
8. Relevant documents: Electricity Act1989: Directive 96/92/EC
9. Proposed dateofadoption: 1March 1998
Proposed dateofentry intoforce: 1April 1998
10. Final dateforcomments: 13October 1997
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: