6. Conclusion

Networks are an essential part of the gas industry's infrastructure. They are the essential link between the producer (or supplier) and the consumer. They fulfil public service missions and, because they are natural monopolies, access tariffs to these networks must be objective (based on costs), transparent (i.e. published, as shippers and customers must be well informed) and non-discriminatory (equal treatment of all users must be preserved), which justifies their being regulated. These tolls are costly, as they require considerable investment to maintain and develop the network. Their cost varies between a quarter and a third of the end customer's bill. But this is a prerequisite for guaranteeing security of supply and genuine competition between gas suppliers, which should logically benefit the end consumer. The future of these networks is less promising for fossil-fired natural gas...