Functional Architecture of European Electricity Trading Markets: Requirements for AI Supported Trading Systems under Regulatory Constraints
Organizations: Swissi Institute for AI
Abstract
European electricity trading in the EU operates as a constrained multi-layer system in which legal design, exchange microstructure, and network physics are executed jointly across forward, day-ahead, intraday, and balancing horizons. This paper develops a functional architecture for AI-supported trading that is aligned with market-coupling mechanics, cross-zonal transfer constraints, and compliance obligations under REMIT, MiFID II, MiFIR, and EMIR. The contribution is a formal system specification composed of a decision-state vector, residual-exposure accounting, constrained optimization objective, executable-action permission gate, and fail-closed AI control logic with auditable records. The analysis maps major Nominated Electricity Market Operator (NEMO) venues and related exchange operators into an operational venue topology and identifies where cross-border coordination fails in practice: interface-level timing, permission heterogeneity, and balancing-layer coupling. The resulting framework proposes how AI can be deployed as a bounded decision component inside regulated market operation with explicit governance, rather than as an unconstrained prediction layer.
Figures & tables
| Exchange | Segment | Operator / ownership context | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPEX Spot | DA, ID | EPEX SPOT SE; part of EEX Group. EPEX SPOT,2026a | epexspot.com |
| Nord Pool | DA, ID | Nord Pool operator; acquired by Euronext. Nord Pool,2026d | nordpoolgroup.com |
| OMIE | DA, ID | Iberian operator under OMI Group structure. OMIE,2026a ; OMI Group,2026a | omie.es |
| GME | DA, ID | Italian operator GME; wholly owned by GSE. Gestore dei Mercati Energetici,2026a | mercatoelettrico.org |
| HEnEx | DA, ID | Hellenic Energy Exchange market operator. HEnEx Group,2026a | enexgroup.gr |
| HUPX | DA, ID | Hungarian exchange operator; ADEX group context. HUPX,2026a ; ADEX Group,2026a | hupx.hu |