L 319/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 11.12.1999 COMMISSION DECISION of 8 July 1999 concerning the application of France for a transitional regime under Article 24 of Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity (notified under document number C(1999) 1551/2) (Only the French text is authentic) (1999/792[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity (1), and in particular Article 24 thereof, Having informed the Member States of the application submitted by France pursuant to Article 24(1) of Directive 96/92/EC, Whereas: I. FACTS 1. Procedure (1) By letter of 19 February 1998 to the Commission, the French authorities applied to be covered by a transitional regime pursuant to Article 24 of Directive 96/92/EC. (2) Additional information from the French authorities concerning this application was received by the Commission on 4 November 1998. 2. Structure of the electricity sector in France (3) The electricity sector in France is characterised by the monopoly of Electricité de France (EDF) in the production, transmission and distribution of electricity. EDF is responsible for more than 90% of the production and distribution of electricity in France. All transmission of () OJ L 27, 30.1.1997, p. 20. electricity, including imports and exports, is carried out by EDF. 3. Liberalisation of the electricity market: transposition of Directive 96/92/EC The new bill governing the electricity sector entitled ‘Modernisation et développement du service public (Modernisation and development of the public service) was given its first reading in Parliament in February 1999. The bill is expected to be voted on in September 1999. The main focuses of the bill are as follows: — celigible customers: customers consuming more than 100 GWh per year will be eligible. This must represent the minimum required by the Directive, which is 26,48 %. Distributors will be eligible only for their eligible customers, — new production installations: France has opted for the authorisation procedure as part of a multiannual investment programme, with a subsidiary invitation to tender, — access to the network by third parties will be governed on the basis of published transmission rates, — EDF will remain a vertically integrated company. In order to comply with the Directive, its accounts for production, transmission, distribution and other activities will be separated. In addition, the transmission network manager will have to be independent in terms of the management of other activities not related to the transmission network, — an independent electricity commission will be responsible  for  regulating  the  market. Its decision-making powers will be mainly limited to settling disputes.