The first Electricity Directive 96/92/EC on common rules for the internal market in electricity aimed to create an internal market for electricity. Concrete provisions were thought to be needed to ensure a
level playing field in
generation and to reduce the risks of
market dominance and
predatory behaviour, ensuring
non-discriminatory transmission and
distribution tariffs, through
access to the network based on
third-party access rights and on the basis of tariffs published prior to their
entry into force, and ensuring that the rights of small and vulnerable customers are protected and that information on energy sources for electricity generation is disclosed, as well as reference to sources, where available, giving information on their
environmental impact. To ensure efficient and non-discriminatory network access, the updated Directive sought to ensure distribution and transmission systems are operated through legally separate entities where vertically integrated
undertakings exist. Independent management structures had to be in place between the distribution system operators, the transmission system operators, and any generation/supply companies. Legal separation does not imply a change of ownership of assets and nothing prevents similar or identical employment conditions applying throughout the whole of the vertically integrated undertakings. However, a non-discriminatory decision-making process should be ensured through organisational measures regarding the independence of the
decision-makers
responsible. The 1996 Directive was updated and replaced by the Electricity Directive 2003/54/EC, followed by Directive 2009/72/EC, and then the current Electricity Directive 2019/944. ==Contents==