L 192/32 Official Journal of the European Union 20.7.2012 COMMISSION DECISION of 19 July 2012 on the establishment of the annual priority lists for the development of network codes and guidelines for 2013 (Text with EEA relevance) (2012/413[EV) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 714/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on conditions for access to the network for cross-border exchanges in elec- tricity and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1228/2003 (') and Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on conditions for access to natural gas transmission networks and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1775/2005 (3), and in particular Article 6(1) thereof, Whereas: CONTEXT (1) The Third Package of directives and regulations (here- inafter the ‘Third Package), as adopted in 2009, entered into force on 3 March 2011. With it a new system of establishing binding European-wide network codes entered into force as well. (2)  As a first step towards binding European network codes, an annual priority list identifying the areas to be included in the development of network codes has to be estab- lished by the European Commission (‘the Commission’) in accordance with Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 714/2009 (the Electricity Regulation’) and Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 (the Gas Regulation’). In setting the priorities, the Commission has to consult the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER)), the responsible European Network of Trans- mission System Operators (ENTSOs’) and other relevant stakeholders. This decision sets out the priorities as decided by the Commission based on the outcomes from the public consultation. (3)  The European Council on 4 February 2011 set 2014 as a target for the completion of the internal market for elec- tricity and gas. The Third Package is an important element in the development towards this target. However, further efforts have to be made to allow gas and electricity to flow freely across Europe. The network codes and guidelines which are foreseen by the Third Package will provide the relevant rules for this further development. () OJ L 211, 14.8.2009, p. 15. () OJ L 211, 14.8.2009, p. 36. (4)  For the planning of resources it is important to identify annually the key areas for the development of network codes and guidelines. As soon as an area is identified as important for the first time, scoping work needs to be started in order to identify to what extent a harmon- isation is needed. Key areas where the work on network codes and guidelines has already started will be continued and completed. PUBLIC CONSULTATION (5)  The public consultation, as required by Article 6(1) of the Electricity and the Gas Regulation, took place from 8 March to 16 April 2012. The Commission received 18 responses (%), including one response from a local government and responses by ENTSOG and ENTSO-E. Whereas the other responses came mainly from European energy stakeholder organisations, several indi- vidual companies also participated in the public consul- tation. (6)  The following were the major general comments received during the public consultation: (@) A clear message from the public consultation was that stakeholders supported the focused approach of the Commission prioritising the work to deliver key elements that are necessary for the completion of the internal energy market by 2014 as regards the development of network codes and guidelines both for electricity and gas. Stakeholders are of the view that the Commission has pointed out in its consul- tation the most important tasks to be done for further integration of the internal energy market. (b) A further key message by several stakeholders was that they would prefer to put all the issues listed in Article 8(6) of the Electricity and Gas Regulation through the FG/NC process instead of using direct comitology guidelines for the adoption of binding rules on these areas. In this context some stake- holders stressed the importance of a transparent, efficient and coherent process which guarantees early and close stakeholder and distribution system operator involvement. It was also mentioned that the necessary timeslots for the development of robust network codes, with sufficient time for consultation of involved actors, need to be given. (®) The responses are published under: http:/[ec.europa.eu/energy/gas_electricity/consultatons/20120416_ network codes_en.htm