Press Release: Council deal on energy package: a crucial step towards completing the internal energy market

President Barroso and Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs welcomed the agreement reached by EU Energy Ministers on the Commission's 2007 legislative package for the EU electricity and gas market. This agreement will enable many of the benefits of an open and competitive energy market including fair prices for citizens and industry; business opportunities for new or smaller companies (for instance those investing in renewable energy); or clear investment conditions for new power plants and transmission networks which can result in increased security supply and less risk of blackouts.