Press Release: Croatia joins the Council of European Energy Regulators
Brussels, 17 July 2013
The energy regulatory authority of Croatia has become a member of the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER).
Croatia became an EU Member State on 1st July this year. Yesterday (16th July), the CEER General Assembly admitted the Croatian Energy Regulatory Authority, HERA, as a member of CEER. CEER is the voice of Europe’s national regulators for electricity and gas.
Welcoming Tomislav Jurekovic, President of the Board of Commissioners of HERA, CEER President, Lord Mogg, said:
“CEER is delighted that the Croatia regulatory authority has chosen to become a member of CEER. For more than a dozen years, Europe’s energy regulators have cooperated on a voluntary basis through CEER. CEER has evolved and continues to do so. But what we stand for remains the same. CEER champions the development of competitive energy markets, with sound and independent regulation, in the public interest. We will continue to foster best practice energy regulation, supporting national regulators, including our newest colleague, HERA, in their daily work.”
With Croatia joining, CEER now represents 32 energy regulators (from the EU-28 Member States, Iceland and Norway as CEER Members, and the regulators of Switzerland and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as Observers).
Ends
Notes for Editors:
Who is CEER? CEER is the voice of Europe’s national energy regulators. Its members and observers, from 32 European countries, are the independent statutory bodies responsible for energy regulation at national level. Visit www.ceer.eu
What do energy regulators do? A national regulatory authority’s (NRA’s) job is to help to ensure that the lights stay on, that electricity and gas is supplied reliably and that the prices charged to customers are competitive. Working within their national and EU energy policy framework, NRAs play an important role in overseeing market developments, scrutinising the network companies’ costs and investments, and providing a sound and predictable regulatory policy that encourages efficient investment and a thriving energy sector. Promoting competition in the consumer’s interest is a primary objective of NRAs. Many NRAs also contribute to other policy objectives such as sustainable development goals.
What does CEER do? CEER is a platform for national regulators to cooperate at European level. CEER develops best practice energy regulation, sharing experience and supporting NRAs in their daily work, including through training and workshops. Through CEER, NRAs cooperate and develop common position papers, advice and forward-thinking recommendations to improve the electricity and gas markets for the benefit of consumers and businesses. CEER also fosters cooperation between energy regulators across the globe. Through CEER, Europe’s national regulators speak with one voice globally.
What contribution does CEER make to Europe’s energy goals? CEER actively promotes an investment-friendly and harmonised regulatory environment, and consistent application of existing EU legislation. A key objective of CEER is to facilitate the creation of a single, competitive, efficient and sustainable Internal Energy Market that works in the public interest. CEER’s reports often input directly to work of the European Commission and subsequent EU legislative proposals. CEER has influenced the pace and direction of emerging regulatory issues such a sustainable development, smart grids and market integrity issues.
Who is the Croation Energy Regulatory Authority? The Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (Hrvatska Energestska Regulatorma Agencija (HERA) is an autonomous, independent, non-profit legal person with public authority to carry out the regulation of energy activities in Croatia. HERA has its seat in Zagreb.
Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) www.ceer.eu
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