The European Commission set out, in March 2004, its vision and process for the creation of a Single Electricity Market, anticipating it being reached via the development of regional markets that span across TSO and national borders. Regulators support the Commission's view and consider that the concept of regional markets is a practical and achievable way of delivering progress on the move towards a single electricity market.

On 9th June 2005, the ERGEG launched a public consultation in publishing their views, for discussion, on how regional electricity markets within Europe might be created.

ERGEG would welcome comments from any interested parties on all aspects of their Creation of Regional Electrity Markets discussion paper. In particular comments on the following elements of the paper would be welcome:

• the key market design features that may need to be addressed in creating a regional market (including any additional features not discussed within this paper)
• the possible need for an overarching regional framework through which interaction across a regional market would be organised and regulated
• the role of regulators and governments in delivering regional electricity markets
• the proposed process for taking forward work on the creation of regional markets, in particular:
• the use of practical case studies through which the detailed issues for delivery of particular regional markets can be assessed, noting that the issues faced may vary depending on the national markets included within a region
• the use of the existing mini-fora regions as a basis for these case studies (with other 'regional groupings' being taken forward where countries agree) and the proposed involvement of member state governments, the Commission, regulators, TSOs, market operators and market participants in taking this work forward