L 248/12 Official Journal of the European Union 22.8.2014 DECISIONS COMMISSION DECISION of 14 August 2014 granting the Hellenic Republic a derogation from certain provisions of Directive 2009/72/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document C(2014) 5902) (2014/536[EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Directive 2009/72/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing Directive 2003/54/EC ('), and in particular Article 44(1) and Article 48 thereof, Having regard to the applications by the Hellenic Republic of 17 January 2012 and of 5 December 2003, After informing the Member States of this application, Whereas: 1. PROCEDURE (I)  On 17 January 2012, the Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change ('YPEKA)) submitted an application (the ‘application’) to the Commission, pursuant to Article 44(1) of Directive 2009/72/EC for a deroga- tion from Chapters IIT and VIII of Directive 2009/72/EC for certain Greek islands that are not interconnected to the electricity system of mainland Greece (the non-interconnected islands or ‘NIIs’). (2)  On 12 September 2012, the Commission requested the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) to comment on the application. RAE responded to this request on 16 November 2012 (the ‘RAE opinion’). (3) RAE made further submissions to substantiate the application on 17 December 2013, 23 December 2013, 4 February 2014, 28 February 2014 and 17 March 2014. (4)  On 14 March 2014 (with an addendum sent on 20 March 2014), the Commission informed the Member States of the application in accordance with Article 44(1) of Directive 2009/72/EC, with a request to submit observa- tions, if necessary, by 25 March 2014. No observations were submitted. (5)  With its application YPEKA renewed the request submitted by the Ministry of Development on 5 December 2003 in accordance with Article 26(1) of Directive 2003/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council () (the ‘initial application’) for a derogation from certain provisions of Directive 2003/54/EC. Although preliminary steps were taken to investigate the initial application, the derogation pursuant to Article 26(1) of Directive 2003/54/EC was neither granted nor refused. () OJL211,14.8.2009, p. 55. (%) 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 repealing Directive 96/92/EC (OJL 176, 15.7.2003, p. 37).