During her recent visit to Greece, the Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said that the system linking the fixing of prices for oil and natural gas is opaque.

It might be pointed out that the Greek Competition Commission is conducting a public consultation with a view to establishing the conditions for effective competition in the purchasing and marketing of petroleum products, where serious distortions have been found in the relevant market, as a result of which fuel prices in Greece are among the highest in the European Union.

What is the link between the prices for natural gas and for oil? What is the Commission's assessment of the situation on the Greek market for natural gas? What steps will it take to ensure the smooth operation of the market?