The legal framework for the gas storage market is characterised
particularly by the 3rd European internal energy market package that
came into force early September 2009. The package comprises several
directives and regulations. The directive concerning common rules for
the internal market in natural gas contains guidelines for unbundling
storage system operators, regulating storage access, and the
responsibilities of the regulatory authorities. The Regulation on the
conditions for access to natural gas transmission networks now gives
statutory character to the Guidelines for Good TPA Practice for Storage
System Operators (GGPSSO) that previously had no binding effect.
The
rules of the 3rd European internal energy market package, relating to
the storage of natural gas, particularly aims at securing the
independency of storage system operators, increasing the transparency of
the capacities offered, and, finally, improving third party access to
storage systems.