In carrying out the regulatory tasks specified in this Directive, theregulatory authority shall take all reasonable measures in pursuitof the following objectives within the framework of their dutiesand powers as laid down in Article 41, in close consultation withother relevant national authorities, including competition authorities, as appropriate, and without prejudice to their competencies:
(a) promoting, in close cooperation with the Agency, regulatoryauthorities of other Member States and the Commission, acompetitive, secure and environmentally sustainable internalmarket in natural gas within the Community, and effectivemarket opening for all customers and suppliers in the Community, and ensuring appropriate conditions for the effectiveand reliable operation of gas networks, taking into accountlong-term objectives;
(b) developing competitive and properly functioning regionalmarkets within the Community in view of the achievementof the objectives referred to in point (a);
(c) eliminating restrictions on trade in natural gas between Member States, including developing appropriate cross-bordertransmission capacities to meet demand and enhancing theintegration of national markets which may facilitate naturalgas flow across the Community;
(d) helping to achieve, in the most cost-effective way, the development of secure, reliable and efficient non-discriminatorysystems that are consumer oriented, and promoting systemadequacy and, in line with general energy policy objectives,energy efficiency as well as the integration of large and smallscale production of gas from renewable energy sources anddistributed production in both transmission and distributionnetworks;
(e) facilitating access to the network for new production capacity, in particular removing barriers that could prevent accessfor new market entrants and of gas from renewable energysources;
(f) ensuring that system operators and system users are grantedappropriate incentives, in both the short and the long term,to increase efficiencies in system performance and fostermarket integration;
(g) ensuring that customers benefit through the efficient functioning of their national market, promoting effective competition and helping to ensure consumer protection;
(h) helping to achieve high standards of public service for natural gas, contributing to the protection of vulnerable customers and contributing to the compatibility of necessary dataexchange processes for customer switching.
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