ENERGY: UNIONS OPPOSE OVER-HASTY LIBERALISATION OF POWER AND GAS MARKETS.

Trade unions representing employees in the energy sector are unenthusiastic about opening up the electricity and gas markets to more competition, at least not according to the European Commission's liberalisation plans. In a press release issued on February 15, the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) condemned plans by European Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio to push liberalisation through as fast as possible. This way of proceeding "disregards the rights of electricity workers, consumers and EU citizens, and is a denial of the mounting evidence against energy liberalisation". According to EPSU, 300,000 jobs have been lost in the sector and, contrary to expectations, prices have gone up for domestic consumers. It is widely acknowledged that the EU electricity market will be controlled by five to seven big players if markets are fully opened...