Legal Frameworks

The Treaty establishing the Energy Community created a set of common institutions and a legal framework within which these institutions operate. 

The Treaty and its acquis evolve constantly to incorporate new sectors as well as update or replace older acts. To stay on track with the evolution of European Union law, Articles 24 and 25 of the Treaty allow the adaptation of the acquis and implementing of possible amendments.

For the sake of best possible overview, the Secretariat began to compile the prevailing Energy Community legal framework under one cover in 2008. Seven editions followed. Equipped with a new concept and looks, the latest LF 5.0 edition was released in October 2023. 

Legal Framework 5.0 edition

LEGAL FRAMEWORK EDITION 5.0

VOLUME I: FUNDAMENTS

Part 1 of Volume I: Fundaments replicates the consolidated Treaty establishing the Energy Community. Part 2 presents a selection of secondary legislation adopted by the Energy Community Ministerial Council. The selection puts focus on the rules that govern the Energy Community institutional bodies.
Volume I was updated in January 2024 to reflect the 21st Ministerial Council decisions from December 2023. 

LEGAL FRAMEWORK EDITION 5.0

VOLUME VII: REMIT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND STATISTICS

This last volume groups together Energy Community acquis that shapes and impacts all or several energy sectors. Part 1 lays out the REMIT rules, which support open and fair competition in the European wholesale energy markets. Whilst Part 2 replicates the infrastructure acquis in force, the three acts in Part 3 present the rules on annual and monthly energy statistics, including price statistics and related reporting obligations.  
Volume I was updated in January 2024 to reflect the 21st Ministerial Council decisions from December 2023. 

LEGAL FRAMEWORK EDITION 5.0

VOLUME II: ELECTRICITY

The electricity volume consists of two Parts. Whilst Part 1 presents electricity regulations and directives, Part 2 groups together the more technical network codes and guidelines. Central to the volume are the nine acts, which were incorporated in 2021 and 2022 and now constitute the new Electricity integration packageIn addition to the connection Network Codes that were already part of the Energy Community acquis, the volume includes five new market and system operation Network Codes and Guidelines.
Volume II underwent updates in February 2024, primarily to reflect the repealing of two Third Energy Package acts.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK EDITION 5.0

VOLUME III: OIL AND GAS

Volume III consists of three parts. It first replicates the Oil Stock Directive. Whilst Part 2 presents the gas regulations and directives, Part 3 groups together the more technical gas network codes and guidelines.  

LEGAL FRAMEWORK EDITION 5.0

VOLUME IV: RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CLIMATE

Split in three parts, volume IV presents the sustainability dimension of the Clean Energy Package. Part 1 introduces the new Renewable Energy Directive containing the 2030 target for share of energy from renewable sources. Part 2 presents the Governance Regulation and the concept of NECPs, whereas Part 3 replicates the climate acts incorporated in the Energy Community acquis, comprising parts of the EU ETS Directive and rules on monitoring, reporting and verification of green house gas emissions

LEGAL FRAMEWORK EDITION 5.0

VOLUME V: ENERGY EFFICIENCY

In Part 1 Volume V first introduces the regulation and two directives governing the three dimensions of energy efficiency acquis: target and and policy measures, buildings and labelling. The Energy Efficiency Directive is at the same time an integral part of the new Clean Energy Package.  The delegated labelling regulations in Part 2 provide the technical labelling specifications for the given product category.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK EDITION 5.0

VOLUME VI: ENVIRONMENT

This volume groups together the environmental acquis in force, varying from strategic environmental assessment, sulphur in fues quality, obligations under the large combustion plants directive, nature protections areas and environmental damage liability.  
The latest update of Volume VI dates from February 2024 and reflects the 21st Ministerial Council Decision 2024/01/MC-EnC.