| Expectations were high for CEER’s first ever interactive customer conference on 21 June. And, CEER delivered. The conference was the first step in a process led by regulators to build together with consumer bodies, the EU Institutions, industry and others, a 2020 vision for energy customers.
Homework in advance – the CEER discussion paper
6 weeks in advance of the event, CEER published a discussion paper "2020 vision for Europe’s energy customers". It outlined what CEER sees as the key principles that consumers expect from the energy market:
• reliability;
• affordability;
• simplicity; and
• protection and empowerment
This paper (available in 9 languages) formed the basis of the discussion at the interactive event and will in turn feed into the detailed Vision.
Why did CEER specifically target national consumer bodies?
The target audience was consumers and national consumer bodies who would help us shape our 2020 Vision for Europe’s energy customers. Out of 200 registered participants, 37 consumer representatives from 20 countries participated; quite a success! 6 national consumer bodies each told their story of energy customer empowerment during the event.  The interactive breakout sessions allowed all participants to discuss, in small groups, key questions based on the four core principles of the CEER discussion paper. Click here for conference proceedings (e.g. promotional video, discussion paper, presentations and photos of the event).
Lord Mogg, CEER President, and Monique Goyens, BEUC Director General, at CEER customer conference
The "Talk of the Town" flyer gives a flavour of the objectives of the CEER customer conference, its interactive nature and feedback received. The European Commission strongly supported this regulator-led initiative and BEUC (the EU consumer body) saw it as a role model for other sectors (see Press Release).
What’s next?
Deadline for comments to the CEER Discussion Paper is 16 July. In the July edition of this newsletter, there will be video highlights of the customer conference. During the course of the summer, we will provide further feedback on how the conference debate will guide the overarching vision. CEER will present a more developed Vision Paper at the London Forum in November 2012.
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