CEER Annual Conference 2025 Highlights Role of Regulators in Empowering Consumers and Driving Europe’s Energy Transition
On 25 June 2025, The Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) convened its flagship Annual Conference 2025 at the Magritte Museum in Brussels and online, gathering energy regulators, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Europe and beyond. This year’s conference focused on regulatory strategies for consumer empowerment, system integration, and market efficiency.
In her opening address, CEER President Dr. Annegret Groebel congratulated CEER for reaching the 25-year milestone and emphasised that regulators must act as enablers of a just and efficient energy transition, ensuring that consumers remain at the heart of our policies. By fostering innovation, protecting vulnerable households, and maintaining fair competition, National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) can help build a resilient, flexible, sustainable, decarbonised and integrated energy system that serves all Europeans. CEER’s fundamental pillars are the cooperation of independent energy regulators sharing experiences and best regulatory knowledge to develop and deepen the internal energy market. In the light of the current geopolitical challenges strong and independent regulators are more important than ever to ensure an effective regulation following the key regulatory principles while being agile to adapt the regulatory instruments to changing situations.
Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Deputy Director General for DG ENER underscored the European Commission’s commitment to a consumer-centric energy market. She highlighted the EC's focus on implementing the adopted EU legislation and promoting regulatory clarity for market participants. Delivering on the priorities set by the new Commission will remain a central driver for EC action going forward.
Christian Stenberg, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities underlined the focus on accelerating renewables deployment, ensuring grid flexibility, and protecting consumers from price shocks of Denmark's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. He also emphasized the importance of security and competitiveness. For the further enhancement of the energy transition, close cooperation between regulators, governments, and industry will be key in driving the efforts of the EU.
Energy Markets & Consumer Empowerment
The first panel tackled the dual challenge of volatile energy prices and consumer protection, especially as energy systems evolve. Speakers stressed the need for dynamic regulatory frameworks that balance affordability, sustainability, and security of supply, particularly in light of recent geopolitical and market disruptions.
Panellists, including representatives from Eurelectric, BEUC, and the European Commission, underscored the importance of transparent pricing mechanisms, digital tools for consumer engagement, and targeted support for energy-poor households. They also highlighted the role of demand-side flexibility in reducing costs and enhancing grid stability.
Energy Infrastructure and Sector Integration
The second panel addressed the infrastructure needs of the future energy system, covering topics such as grid investment, the hydrogen backbone, and sector coupling. Speakers from ENTSO-E, ENTSOG, ACER, and E-Control discussed how smart regulation and innovation can unlock the necessary upgrades to deliver system flexibility and enable decarbonisation.
The discussion highlighted the key role of regulatory clarity in accelerating grid projects and facilitating the integration of renewables, hydrogen, and demand-side resources. The need for close collaboration across electricity and gas sectors was emphasised as essential to deliver cost-effective and secure energy supply.
Regulators' Independence in the Spotlight
In a dedicated interview segment, experts from the European Commission, Slovenian NRA and Florence School of Regulation discussed the growing responsibilities of NRAs and the need to safeguard their institutional and operational independence. The speakers reaffirmed that strong, independent regulators are key to enforcing EU rules, ensuring non-discriminatory market access, and maintaining trust in the energy transition. It was highlighted that political interference in tariff-setting or other NRA specific tasks risks undermining investor confidence and the functioning of energy systems. Participants agreed that NRAs need enhanced tools and staffing to oversee increasingly complex markets and responsibilities.
CEER’s Vision and Legacy
The conference concluded with a keynote speech by Jorge Vasconcelos, co-founder and first chair of CEER, who reflected on the organisation’s 25-year journey. He noted that while CEER’s early focus was on market liberalisation, today’s priorities, including consumer empowerment, decarbonisation, and system resilience require even deeper cross-border coordination. CEER Vice Presidents Alda Ozola and Dietmar Preinstorfer closed the event by reaffirming CEER’s continued commitment to consumer-centric regulation and international cooperation and congratulated once again all those involved in continuing the now 25-year-old history of CEER.
With hundreds of participants joining from across continents, the CEER Annual Conference once again served as a key platform for exchange, dialogue, and joint action in shaping the future of Europe’s energy landscape.
