The opening of the French gas market and the stakes of regulation

This article reports on the talk given by M. Romieu, general affairs adviser of the Commission for Electricity Regulation (CRE), at the 2001 gas congress. M. Romieu uses the experience gained in the electric sector to explain the processes of opening of gas markets and the accompanying regulation mechanisms. The aim is to promote a gas-gas competition between the different European networks and inside each network and to ensure the long term security of supplies from different geographical sources with the development of new transit, liquefaction and re-gasification infrastructures. A debate has followed which is entirely reported and makes the second part of this article. (J.S.)