Energy Regulators welcome the Energy Union Package ACER stands ready for a new role if adequately resourced
Ljubljana, 25 February 2015
Energy Regulators (ACER and CEER) welcome the Energy Union Strategy as a vital push to complete the transformation of Europe’s energy system so that consumers can enjoy secure, sustainable, competitively priced and affordable energy. In line with the core objectives of the Energy Union Communication, regulators are fully committed to promoting an integrated EU-wide energy system, where energy flows freely across borders, is based on competitive markets and the best possible use of resources, supported by effective regulation of energy markets.
Welcoming the Communication, Lord Mogg, Chairman of ACER’s Board of Regulators and CEER President stated: “We are pleased to note that the Commission’s Communication has identified similar challenges in the EU energy sector to those which regulators themselves addressed in the ACER Conclusions Paper “Bridge to 2025”. We fully agree on the priority given to full implementation of EU legislation for an internal energy market, with the consumer at its heart”.
With regard to the proposal by the European Commission to strengthen the EU-wide regulation of the single market, including the reinforcement of the powers of ACER, the Director of the Agency, Alberto Pototschnig said: “As long as adequate resources are provided, ACER stands ready to take on new responsibilities and work with national regulatory authorities in ensuring effective oversight at EU, regional and national level. In this way we can ensure that energy consumers enjoy a wide choice of suppliers, good quality services and better prices”.
Ends (see Notes for Editors)
Notes for editors
(1) ACER is the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulation (ACER). ACER’s coordinates at EU level the work of the EU-28 national energy regulators and works towards completing the single Internal Energy Market. See www.acer.europa.eu.
(2) CEER is the Council of European Energy Regulatory (CEER). Its members and observers, from 33 European countries, are the independent statutory bodies responsible for energy regulation at national level. Visit www.ceer.eu.
(3) ACER’s Bridge to 2025 conclusions, published 23 September 2014, outline concrete proposal for collective action by EU Institutions, Members States, stakeholders and regulators fully to implement EU legislation, including the network codes and the Gas and Electricity Target Models key to help establish and maintain liquid, competitive and integrated wholesale energy markets. The Bridge to 2025 is intended to guide policy makers and the energy sector in the decade ahead. Its cross-cutting proposals address the full range of energy policy issues for the electricity and gas sectors – wholesale markets; retail markets and consumers; distribution networks; and overall governance at European level.
