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Mar 18
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THE PRINCIPLES OF PROPORTIONALITY AND ENERGY SOLIDARITY UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF (ЕU) REGULATION NO. 1/2003

Sanja Danković Stepanović, Strahinja Obrenović

10.55836/PiP_26101A
ABSTRACT /

The subject of the paper is the application of commitments in cases where there are competition concerns regarding the abuse of a dominant position in the energy sector, with a focus on the principles of proportionality and energy solidarity.
The legal basis for the analysis is the Court of Justice of the European Union judgment in Case C–255/12. The aim of the paper is to highlight the specificities of acting in such cases and the duty to exercise heightened attention, since behavior that constitutes a violation of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) can consequently affect the achievement of the goals of energy policies, as outlined in Article 194(1) TFEU.
The conclusion highlights that a specific risk of competition violations exists if there is abuse of a dominant position in relevant energy markets, particularly due to the additional public interest in the sector. As a result, the commitment procedure requires a qualified analysis in the form of two concentric circles—primarily addressing competition concerns and assessing alignment with the goals of energy policy—alongside the cumulative application of the principles of proportionality and energy solidarity in such cases.

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