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19 June 2008 - European Union (EU) lawmakers have backed a plan to split energy giants from their electricity networks, putting them on a collision course with EU member states.
The Industry Committee of the European Parliament voted in Strasbourg for the complete separation of electricity generation from the ownership of distribution networks, the so-called ownership unbundling of EU energy giants.
However, the vote came after EU energy ministers agreed earlier this month on a compromised deal to allow energy giants such as Electricite de France and Germany's E.ON to retain ownership of their transmission networks under strict conditions.
Under the EU co-decision procedure, which covers the liberalization of energy markets, the European Parliament and member states now have to find common ground before the plan becomes law.
The European Commission proposed last September to separate ownership of gas and electricity supply from transmission networks in a bid to promote competition in the markets and benefit consumers.
But the plan was strongly opposed by several EU member states, led by Germany and France, home to several European energy giants.
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