Interoperability: A Strategic Imperative for European Energy Trading Markets

In today’s fast-moving energy trading markets, one fact is undeniable: interoperability is not just important, it’s mission-critical.

At Fidectus, we don’t just believe in interoperability - we champion it as the foundation for a more open, competitive, and innovative post-trade ecosystem. This isn’t a technical ambition; it’s a strategic imperative with direct financial, operational, and competitive impact for every market participant.

As the market accelerates its digital transformation, participants have invested heavily in automation, integration, and efficiency across the entire trade lifecycle. Yet many remain trapped in siloed systems, constrained in their ability to choose partners, optimize performance, and scale with agility.

The lack of real interoperability between Energy Traders Europe (formerly EFET)-compliant platforms, whether in electronic Confirmation Matching (eCM) or electronic Settlement Matching (eSM), is holding the industry back. The consequences are clear:

• Elevated operational risk from fragmented processes;

• Increased costs due to duplication and manual workarounds;

• Limited flexibility to adopt best-in-class solutions;

• Sluggish innovation and delayed response to market shifts.

At Fidectus, we are fully committed to breaking down these barriers. We are not here just to participate, we are here to lead. Since joining GENA (formerly EESPA) in 2022, we have relentlessly advanced both technical and operational interoperability across EFET-compliant platforms. Why? Because every market participant deserves the freedom to select the best solutions - without being locked into a closed ecosystem.

Yes, the market has made progress. The Operations Commitee at Energy Traders Europe has done an excellent job incorporating interoperability into the EFET standards, and we are seeing meaningful momentum in areas such as eSM. But let’s be clear: the pace is too slow, consistency is lacking, and critical functionalities like netting and faster settlement are still falling short.

This is no longer a technical challenge, it’s a business roadblock. It directly affects your ability to manage risk, control costs, and stay competitive in a dynamic market.

For C-level executives and business leaders, interoperability is not a back-office concern. It’s a board-level, strategic priority that shapes:

• Your cost structure: by eliminating duplication and driving efficiency;
• Your operational resilience: by avoiding vendor lock-in and mitigating dependency risk;
• Your strategic agility: by empowering you to pivot and scale with the best-fit solutions.

The era of incremental fixes is over. The market needs a decisive, enforceable, and holistic interoperability framework, covering both eCM and eSM, across all critical functions.

At Fidectus, we stand firm in this conviction. We are unwavering in our support for open standards, collaborative innovation, and an interoperable post-trade ecosystem that strengthens Europe’s energy markets.

We call on industry associations, service providers, and market participants to step up and join us. Together, we can build an ecosystem that truly serves the market, not one that holds it back.

Because at its core, interoperability isn’t just about technology, it’s about choice, fairness, and unlocking value for the entire market.

Let’s stop talking about change. Let’s make it happen.

Ready to drive interoperability forward? Connect with us: https://fidectus.com/contacts