Allegations of Price-Fixing

Some of Europe's biggest energy companies, including EOn and RWE in Germany, and GdF in France, are under investigations by European officials.

Neelie Kroes, the EU competition commissioner, is expected to announce next week that she will tackle the lack of competition in the gas and electricity sector after a 16-month inquiry, resulting in a report.

Leaked comments from the report suggest that she has found evidence of collusion between some of the big energy companies. Many EU countries have large monopoly energy players who control pipelines and also sell gas.

The EU said last February that it would attempt to break monopolies which are causing prices to rise, but so far, little has happened.

The leaks suggest that energy companies could be forced to cede control of gas pipelines and the power grid and face restrictions on mergers.

(.....info. taken from an article in Daily Telegraph, 6 Jan 07)

ND comment -
There's nothing we can do, but watch the papers; at least you'll know what's going on.

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