22.9.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 262/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) DECISION No 1364/2006/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 6 September 2006 laying down guidelines for trans-European energy networks and repealing Decision 96/391/EC and Decision No 1229/2003/EC THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EURO- PEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 156 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (%), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1) Subsequent to the adoption of Decision No 1229/2003/ EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 laying down a series of guidelines for trans-European energy networks (°), the need has arisen to integrate fully the new Member States and the acces- sion and candidate countries into those guidelines and to adapt further, as appropriate, those guidelines to the new proximity policy of the European Union. (2)  The priorities for trans-European energy networks stem from the creation of a more open and competitive internal energy market as a result of the implementation of Directive 2003/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity () and Direc- tive 2003/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas (°). Those priorities reflect the conclusions of the Stockholm European Council of 23 and 24 March 2001 concerning the devel- opment of the infrastructure needed for the operation of the energy market. A special effort should be undertaken to achieve the objective of making greater use of renew- () O] C 241, 28.9.2004, p. 17. (%) Opinion of the European Parliament of 7 June 2005 (O] C 124 E, 25.5.2006, p. 68), Council Common Position of 1 December 2005 (O] C 80 E, 4.4.2006, p. 1), Position of the European Parliament of 4 April 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Deci- sion of the Council of 24 July 2006. () OJ L 176, 15.7.2003, p. 11. (*) OJL 176, 15.7.2003, p. 37. Directive as amended by Council Direc- tive 2004/85/EC (O] L 236, 7.7.2004, p. 10). () OJ L 176, 15.7.2003, p. 57. able energy sources as a contribution to further a sustainable development policy. However, this objective should be achieved without creating disproportionate disturbances to the normal market equilibrium. Full account should also be taken of the objectives of the Community’s transport policy and, specifically, the opportunity to reduce road traffic by using pipelines. This Decision serves to move closer towards the target for the level of electricity interconnection between Member States which was agreed at the Barcelona Euro- pean Council of 15 and 16 March 2002, and thus to improve network reliability and integrity, and ensure that there is security of supply and that the internal market functions properly. As a rule, the construction and maintenance of energy infrastructure should be subject to market principles. This is also in line with the common rules for the completion of the internal market in energy and the common rules on competition law which aim at the creation of a more open and competitive internal energy market. Community financial aid for construction and maintenance should therefore remain highly exceptional, and such exceptions should be duly justified. Energy infrastructure should be constructed and main- tained so as to enable the internal energy market to operate efficiently, with due regard to existing proce- dures for consulting the people affected, without detracting from strategic and, where appropriate, universal service criteria and public service obligations. In the light of potential synergies between natural gas networks and olefin networks, due importance should be placed on the development and integration of olefin networks in order to meet the olefin gas consumption needs of industries in the Community.