Third-party Access Rights in the Energy Sector: A Competition Law Perspective
Article from: OGEL 1 (2010), in Antitrust in the Energy Sector
Abstract
The article identifies circumstances in which refusal to grant third-party access to energy networks to competitors constitutes an abuse of a dominant position enjoyed by energy utilities. It explores the scope and evident limitations of Article 82 of the EC Treaty in regard to gas and electricity markets in the context of the essential facilities doctrine and refusal to supply cases. It is argued that under certain limited circumstances competition law grants compulsory third-party access. Therefore, even without further sector specific regulation and ownership unbundling, independent ...