The European Energy Exchange (EEX) is expanding its range of OTC clearing services step by step, to include additional products not traded on EEX or other European Commodity Clearing (ECC) partner exchanges. Together with the clearing house ECC, EEX will launch three further products for OTC clearing on 25 February 2013.
“Given the changing regulatory and political environment, clearing through a central counterparty gains in importance”, states Peter Reitz, Chief Executive Officer of EEX Group. “In this context, we will provide market participants with a pan-European offering for clearing their bilateral energy trading activities through ECC and in so doing, increase our coverage to further commodities and regions”.
Hence, EEX and ECC will offer financially settled Scandinavian power futures for clearing. ECC already clears power futures for delivery in Germany, France, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as Great Britain and Hungary. Since December, EEX and ECC have offered Romanian power futures as an OTC cleared product. As part of the co-operation with the Power Exchange Central Europe (PXE), ECC will provide clearing for Czech and Slovakian power in the near future also.
“Through integrated clearing of all products, participants benefit from standardised processes and netting effects which reduce the costs for clearing significantly. Through Cross Margining, only the net positions are offset against each other. Thus, participants who clear their Scandinavian power positions at ECC can achieve cost advantages”, explains Dr. Thomas Siegl, Chief Risk Officer of EEX Group.
Furthermore, from the end of February, two Euro-denominated coal futures based on Argus McCloskey API 2* and API 4* indices will be offered for clearing via ECC. This will enable, for example, companies which want to hedge power deliveries from coal plants, to settle coal futures in Euros, which considerably simplifies the processes for these participants.
The new OTC clearing products are designed for market participants all over Europe who want to use the benefits of the integrated clearing model for their energy trading activities. Therefore, EEX is taking a further step in bringing more volumes from the OTC market onto the exchange. All contracts are settled financially on the basis of established market indices. The new products can be registered for clearing via the exchange, either by brokers, or directly by the counterparties.
European Energy Exchange (EEX) is the leading energy exchange in Europe. EEX develops, operates and connects secure, liquid and transparent markets for energy and related products on which power, natural gas, CO2 emission allowances and coal are traded. Clearing and settlement of all trading transactions are provided by the clearing house European Commodity Clearing AG (ECC). EEX is a member of Eurex Group.
European Commodity Clearing (ECC) is the central clearing house for energy and related products in Europe. ECC ensures clearing, as well as physical and financial settlement of transactions concluded on APX-ENDEX, CEGH Gas Exchange of the Vienna Stock Exchange, EEX, EPEX SPOT, HUPX and Powernext and offers OTC Clearing services in addition.
