Representing the European Commission, Mr Christopher Jones, Deputy Director General for Energy, confirmed that the role of ACER will have to evolve. The Commission is considering, he said, “a role for ACER in overseeing emerging regional entities, working rules and principles, as well as coordinated decisions”.
The Conference overall aimed to define how the Agency can best contribute to the common goal of completing a well-functioning, competitive, sustainable and secure Internal Energy Market in the context of the Energy Union. ACER Director Alberto Pototsching highlighted how “the ambitious climate change objectives the EU has set itself mean we will have more and more renewables in our energy mix, and therefore we need a more flexible energy system to respond to a greater share of renewable-based generation”.
The first Session, moderated by Lord Mogg, Chairman of our Board of Regulators, focused on the rationale behind the establishment of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, as part of the new regulatory framework defined by the Third Energy Package. The second Session, moderated by Mr Razvan Nicolescu, Chairman of our Administrative Board from 2014 to 2016, analysed the performance and milestones of ACER in its first five years of existence. The third Session, moderated by Dr Romana Jordan, the current Chair of the Administrative Board, looked at what the future role of ACER should be for effectively contributing to delivering the Energy Union.
The opening addresses were delivered by ACER Director, Mr Alberto Pototschnig, Slovenian Minister for Infrastructure, Mr Peter Gašperšič and Mr Zoran Jankovič, Mayor of Ljubljana. The Ambassador of the Netherlands to Slovenia, H.E. Mr Bart Twaalfhoven, illustrated the energy priorities of the Netherlands EU Presidency. Other high-level speakers at the Conference included representatives of the Energy consumers’ associations and market participants.