Abstract

This article provides a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on the European Union’s electricity market design (EMD) reform. In policy as well as in law, much of the literature on the EMD reform has centred on single, particularly significant issues of the reform, such as long-term contracts. In contrast, the principal objective of this article is to provide a more comprehensive, structural understanding of all measures, their interlinkages and their potential effects. This is achieved by categorising the various legal and regulatory innovations introduced by the EMD reform according to a set of four principal, overarching policy objectives. Furthermore, this article assesses whether the different reform measures address public or private actors, concern short-term or long-term timeframes, and how much flexibility is afforded to Member States in implementing the measures. This analysis adds important nuance to discussions about the EMD reform. Finally, we reflect on how our findings may enable inquiries into the long-term effect, implementation and contestation of the EMD reform.