Energy law in a system of law

Įsigaliojus Lisabonos sutarčiai, įvesta nauja ES kompetencijos sritis – energetikos politika. Straipsnyje nagrinėjama, ar nacionalinėje teisės sistemoje įmanoma išskirti atskirą energetikos teisės šaką, apžvelgiami šią politikos sritį reglamentuojantys teisės aktai, jų apimtis, nagrinėjama, ar galima rasti atskirą teisinį energetikos reguliavimo metodą.In the modern world, ever bigger role is being played by the energy, and proper exploatation of its sources. Energy in this context is understood as the sphere industry, involving sources of energy, production of energy, its tranportation and exploatation. In more detail, this includes energy security, nuclear energy, conventional (fossil) energy sources, renewable energy, electricity and heat, energy efficiency. Analyzing whether energy law may be treated as a separate branch of law, one has to find out if it has necessary attributes – unique subject and method of regulation. Subject of the energy law – relations in various sectors: management of the energy resources, production of various types of energy (heat, electricity) from various sources (fossil, nuclear, renewables), distribution and transmission, environmental standards, applicable for these processes, etc. Legal norms regulating these processes may be found in various branches of law, although all of them regulate different interrelated aspects of the same process. However, due to the different nature of the abovementioned relations and legal norms governing them, it is not possible to distinguish the unique regulation method of the energy law. Energy law being not codified similarly may not be distinguished as a separate branch of legal acts. Energy law may be treated as a complex branch of the public law and a promising academic discipline