​​Operational, technical, communications and business-wise interoperability is a prerequisite for the good functioning and the integration of gas markets. The lack of harmonisation in these areas  poses barriers to cross-border gas transport and to the creation of an integrated and competitive internal European energy market.      

The main objective of the Framework Guidelines and Network Code on Interoperability and Data Exchange Rules is therefore to facilitate cross-border gas transports and effective market integration through the application of a number of harmonised principles and common rules on issues such as       

• the establishment and/or amendment of Interconnection Agreements (including default rules on e.g. flow control, measurement principles, matching processes & allocation of gas quantities, exceptional events and amendment procedures for the Interconnection Agreements),       
• a common set of units to be applied,      
• the managing of gas quality differences & the monitoring of gas quality,      
• odorisation,      
• common data exchange solutions,      
• and dispute resolution.       

Pursuant to the request of the European Commission issued on 31 January 2012, the Agency developed - and adopted on 26 July 2012 - its Framework Guidelines on Interoperability and Data Exchange Rules for European Gas Transmission Networks. Stakeholders have been involved in the development through ACER’s public consultation on the draft Framework Guidelines (16 March until 16 May 2012).      

Based on these Framework Guidelines, ENTSOG established the respective draft Network Code on Interoperability and Data exchange Rules, which was published on 27 February 2013 for consultation until 26 April 2013, and issued on 21 May 2013 a Cost-Benefit Analysis study for the selection of a harmonised data exchange solution for consultation as well.      

Following a series of ENTSOG’s stakeholder workshops, the Agency evaluated the draft Network Code and provided its preliminary views to ENTSOG on 17 June 2013.       

The refined draft Network Code on Interoperability and Data Exchange Rules was published on 9 July 2013 to undergo ENTSOG’s Stakeholder Support Process (until 23 July 2013).       

ENTSOG formally submitted the final draft Network Code to the Agency on the 10 September. The Agency issued its Reasoned Opinion on the Network Code adopted on the 21 November. In its Reasoned Opinion, ACER acknowledges a high level of compliance of the Network Code with the Framework Guidelines, but requests a set of amendments related to Interconnection Agreements, scope and formats of Data Exchange and alignment of the TSO’s cost recovery provisions. The Agency’s recommended the code of adoption to the European Commission on 17 January 2014.      

On 4 November 2014, the ‘Gas Committee’ delivered a positive vote on the Interoperability Network Code, which was published later as Commission Regulation establishing a Network Code on interoperability and data exchange rules (EU/2015/703) in the Official Journal of the European Union of 30 April 2015.     

The new regulation applies from 1 May 2016. The Interconnection agreement default template was developed in 2015 to allow for the timely application of the rules.     

On 4 December 2017, the Agency issued its first monitoring report on the implementation of the Network Code in 2017 with regards to the completion of the internal energy market.

Related Documents and links

Gas Network Codes Functionality Platform