The priorities for action by the Community on trans-European energy networks shall be compatible with sustainable development and shall be as follows:
for both electricity and gas networks:
adapting and developing the energy networks in support of the operation of the internal energy market and, in particular, solving the problems of bottlenecks, especially transfrontier bottlenecks, congestion and missing links, and taking account of the needs arising from the functioning of the internal market for electricity and natural gas and the enlargement of the European Union;
establishing energy networks in island, isolated, peripheral and ultraperipheral regions while promoting the diversification of energy sources and the use of renewable energy sources, together with the connection of those networks, where necessary;
for electricity networks:
adapting and developing networks to facilitate the integration and connection of renewable energy production;
ensuring interoperability of electricity networks within the Community, and with those in the accession and candidate countries, and other countries in Europe and in the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins;
for gas networks:
developing natural gas networks in order to meet the Community's natural gas consumption needs and to control its natural gas supply systems;
ensuring interoperability of natural gas networks within the Community and with those in accession and candidate countries and other countries in Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Caspian Sea basins, as well as in the Middle East and the Gulf regions, and diversification of natural gas sources and supply routes.