Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete welcomes the provisional political agreement on a proposal to enhance the role of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) - Main contents

Today's deal means that six out of the eight legislative proposals of the 2016 Clean Energy for All Europeans package have been politically endorsed by the co-legislators, after the agreements on the Governance of the Energy Union proposal, the revised Energy Efficiency Directive, the revised Renewable Energy Directive, the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive and the Regulation on Risk Preparedness. It is clear progress and momentum towards completing the Energy Union and combatting climate change are well under way. The Juncker Commission, working under its political priority “a resilient Energy Union and a forward-looking climate change policy", is delivering.

Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: "Today's deal is another important achievement in our transition to a clean and secure energy system. ACER,the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, will have an enhanced role in the energy market and in the area of security of supply. This Regulation will adapt the Agency's competences to the new challenges the electricity sector is facing, for example in the context of increased regional cooperation. We are now approaching the finishing line to complete the Clean Energy for All Europeans proposals before the end of this year. With the completion of the Package, we will be on the right path towards the Energy Union".

ACER's main role currently is confined to coordination, advising and monitoring. Regulatory oversight remains fragmented, leading to a risk of diverging decisions and unnecessary delays. ACER is the body established to provide regulatory oversight for situations which cover more than one Member State. The role of ACER as coordinator of the action of national energy regulators has been preserved and additional competences have been assigned to ACER in those areas where fragmented national decisions of cross-border relevance would lead to problems for the internal Energy Market. For example, ACER will have oversight on the future regional entities ("Regional Coordination Centers") where TSOs (Transmission System Operators) will be able to decide on those issues where fragmented and uncoordinated national actions could negatively affect the market and consumers. The proposed approach will also streamline regulatory procedures (by introducing direct approval by ACER instead of separate approvals by all national regulators). National regulators, deciding within ACER on those issues through majority voting, will remain fully involved in the process.

The proposal also contains further provisions that, together with those proposed in the other elements of the Clean Energy Package, will put consumers at the heart of the energy market.

Next steps

Following this provisional political agreement, the text of the Regulation will have to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council. Once endorsed by both co-legislators in the coming months, the Regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the Union and will immediately enter into force.

Background

On 30 November 2016, the Commission proposed a Regulation on adapting the rules that govern the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER).

Energy Union

ACER

STATEMENT/18/6776