The European Union and a number of private players have been involved in setting up transnational bodies to regulate the gas market in Europe.

On 13 July 2009, the 3^rd energy package was adopted. It institutes a European network of gas transmission managers, within which operators in the market must work together. On 1 December 2009, that network led to the creation of an association under Belgian law, the ENTSOG.
Its primary task is to draft network operating rules to regulate the gas transmission market across the different European states.

Around 7% of the voting rights within that association are held by France and shared between TIGF and GRTgaz.

Created in 2003 by the European Commission, the ERGEG (European regulators' group for electricity and gas) is a European energy regulatory institution. It assists the European Commission in the uniform application of directives relating to gas and electricity.

Since 25 April 2006, ERGEG has established three key areas (the Northwest, South/Southeast and South) for consideration of work to open up the European gas market. These “Gas regional initiatives” will set out solutions for a single competitive European market. TIGF and other players on the market are involved in this work.

The Madrid Forum, created in 1999 by the European Commission to unify and harmonise the internal natural gas market, brings together the member states, European Commission, grid operators, suppliers, customers and national regulatory authorities, for one or two meetings a year.

GIE (Gas infrastructure Europe) is an independent association bringing together industrial players in the European gas infrastructure. Its job is to facilitate investment by offering, through the European Union, a stable regulatory framework which encourages security of supply and competition.

GIE has three subdivisions:

• GTE - Gas transmission Europe – for those who manage transmission grids;
• GSE - Gas storage Europe – for those who manage storage systems;
• GLE - Gas LNG Europe – for those who manage liquefied natural gas infrastructures.

Founded in 2000, GTE (Gas transmission Europe) is one of the GIE bodies which brings together European gas transmission companies. Its aim is to help secure supplies and liberalise the gas market at the European level. It also encourages transparency and non-discrimination in the market.

EASEE-gas (European association for the streamlining of energy exchange) was created in 2002 to facilitate and improve physical gas transfers and exchanges in Europe. It brings together producers, infrastructure operators, suppliers, shippers and end customers. TIGF is a member of the EASEE-gas board of directors and is actively involved in its work.

Presided over by TIGF and GRTgaz, Concertation gaz is a common tool for consultation between different players in the natural gas transmission market. It was unveiled on 20 October 2008 at a meeting in Paris.

It has a number of aims:

• to encourage listening between different players in the market;
• to provide forums for consultation shaped by common operating rules;
• to provide the offer best suited to the needs of the market;
• to allow each player (CRE, transporters, shippers, customers) to play their role within the market and to take part in development work;
• to improve understanding of trends in the French natural gas market over the short and medium term;
• to inform the Energy Regulation Commission’s decision-making process.

Founded in 1874, the Technical Gas Association is one of the longest-established gas associations. In 2001, to adapt to changes in the sector, it became the French Gas Association (AFG) and has been making changes. Its board of directors and committees include new players such as Poweo and Altergaz, and it has added a more political role to its traditional technical role.

AFG’s work:

• to encourage the development of the gas industry in France (supply, storage, transmission, distribution, construction and operation of grids and installations, manufacture of hardware and equipment);
• to represent its members before administrative bodies for any issues affecting the gas industry in France, particularly where there are problems to do with security, technology and the environment;
• to formulate technical, economic, legal and regulatory questions about the gas industry and to encourage and share out work on those issues across France and abroad;
• to develop gas technologies in France and abroad, providing services tailored to the expectations of the industry, particularly in terms of training and standardisation;
• to work alongside national, European and international bodies to help with the work of regulation, standardisation and certification;
• to engage with different players in the industry to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas;
• to represent the French gas industry in France and abroad before competent organisations, and particularly before the International Gas Union.

There are nine regional AFGs working in partnership with AFG. Each one has between 150 and 300 members from the gas industry and neighbouring sectors. They organise information meetings and carry out their work in committee. As a European gas player involved in the life of its local area, TIGF plays its part in the work, chairing the AFG Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrénées.

MASE is a management system for industrial players who want to improve their business performance in terms of safety, health and the environment.

Its aims are as follows:

• to improve safety through a business-orientated management system;
• to establish a common language;
• to improve organisation and communication and to improve working conditions for employees;
• to enable the company to improve its HSE processes;
• to establishing ongoing safety management systems by analysing company results and awarding certifications upon fulfilment of certain conditions.

MASE certification is issued by the regional steering committee following an audit conducted by an external body.

TIGF is a member of the steering committee and belongs to MASE Sud-Ouest in its capacity as a user company.