Charges applied by network operators for access to networks, including charges for connection to the networks, charges for use of networks, and, where applicable, charges for related network reinforcements, shall be cost-reflective, transparent, take into account the need for network security and flexibility and reflect actual costs incurred insofar as they correspond to those of an efficient and structurally comparable network operator and are applied in a non-discriminatory manner. Those charges shall not include unrelated costs supporting unrelated policy objectives.

Without prejudice to Article 15(1) and (6) of Directive 2012/27/EU and the criteria in Annex XI to that Directive the method used to determine the network charges shall neutrally support overall system efficiency over the long run through price signals to customers and producers and in particular be applied in a way which does not discriminate positively or negatively between production connected at the distribution level and production connected at the transmission level. The network charges shall not discriminate either positively or negatively against energy storage or aggregation and shall not create disincentives for self-generation, self-consumption or for participation in demand response. Without prejudice to paragraph 3 of this Article, those charges shall not be distance-related.

Tariff methodologies shall reflect the fixed costs of transmission system operators and distribution system operators and shall provide appropriate incentives to transmission system operators and distribution system operators over both the short and long run, in order to increase efficiencies, including energy efficiency, to foster market integration and security of supply, to support efficient investments, to support related research activities, and to facilitate innovation in interest of consumers in areas such as digitalisation, flexibility services and interconnection.

Where appropriate, the level of the tariffs applied to producers or final customers, or both shall provide locational signals at Union level, and take into account the amount of network losses and congestion caused, and investment costs for infrastructure.

Setting the charges for network access under this Article shall be without prejudice to charges resulting from congestion management referred to in Article 16.

There shall be no specific network charge on individual transactions for cross-zonal trading of electricity.

Distribution tariffs shall be cost-reflective taking into account the use of the distribution network by system users including active customers. Distribution tariffs may contain network connection capacity elements and may be differentiated based on system users' consumption or generation profiles. Where Member States have implemented the deployment of smart metering systems, regulatory authorities shall consider time-differentiated network tariffs when fixing or approving transmission tariffs and distribution tariffs or their methodologies in accordance with Article 59 of (EU) 2019/944 and, where appropriate, time-differentiated network tariffs may be introduced to reflect the use of the network, in a transparent, cost efficient and foreseeable way for the final customer.

Distribution tariff methodologies shall provide incentives to distribution system operators for the most cost-efficient operation and development of their networks including through the procurement of services. For that purpose regulatory authorities shall recognise relevant costs as eligible, shall include those costs in distribution tariffs, and may introduce performance targets in order to provide incentives to distribution system operators to increase efficiencies in their networks, including through energy efficiency, flexibility and the development of smart grids and intelligent metering systems.

Regulatory authorities shall duly take the best practice report into consideration when fixing or approving transmission tariffs and distribution tariffs or their methodologies in accordance with Article 59 of Directive (EU) 2019/944.