The functioning of the energy market, furthermore, determines the conditions of the company environment and further the restructuring of these economies. The legislation chosen addresses fundamental principles, such as: the transparency of market conditions and price transparency, in order to avoid distortions of competition and to establish a level playing field; the guarantee of free exchanges of energy within the internal market in line with the provisions of the Treaty, where the transit Directives for gas and electricity facilitate these exchanges in a Community framework; and the opening of markets in electricity and gas, in order to achieve greater integration and to establish transparent and non-discriminatory rules for the operation of the sector. It should be underlined that, although these latter proposals are not yet adopted, they are still considered as stage I measures, since it is important to draw attention to the fundamental principles that they address. It should be borne in mind that a long period of time might be needed for CEECs to adjust, because these countries were centrally-planned economies, the electricity and gas industry is controlled by State-based or State-owned undertakings (which are fully horizontally and vertically integrated) and no transparency exists in the way of the States operates.
