Which competition in the European electricity supply industry?

Based on the idea be an alternative organisational scheme for the industry third-party access to the network (TPA) the European Commission prepared proposals for a directive at the beginning of the 1990's. The premises of these proposals which are still in discussion are overviewed, in order to place them in perspective and then bring out possible alternatives to introduce real competition in the electricity supply industry. The following three propositions are evaluated: TPA is based on an economic analysis of network industries; TPA has emerged in debates in America and been instituted in UK as an answer to problems different from those facing the European Union as a whole; there is a more suitable method for the European electricity supply industry making it possible to introduce real competition on the level of generation and promote a real Europe of Energy. (R.P.)