European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has offered a compromise to German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the dispute over the European Union's ownership unbundling plan, Financial Times Deutschland newspaper reports Wednesday, citing a draft bill.
In the confidential document that has been send to the European capitals Tuesday and which was obtained by the paper, the Commission is willing to accept Germany's call for an alternative to the proposed split of energy production and operation of big gas companies. But in exchange, Brussels demands stricter control and supervision rights than Germany is so far willing to provide, the newspaper says.
The European Commission has proposed separating control of production and distribution of gas and electricity, thus spurring competition and allowing all energy producers to have equal access to the distribution network.