„The European Energy Union is at an important stage in its development in which the main directives and regulations of the “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package are to be adopted. Achieving the objectives of the Package is entirely consumer-focused and benefits all European citizens, which puts new responsibilities and requirements on the Member States' energy regulators. EWRC will be an active participant in these processes and will contribute to the realization of our great goal - creation of a common European market in electricity and natural gas." This was stated by the Chairman of the Bulgarian energy regulator Assoc. Prof. Ivan Ivanov at the opening of the 4th Council of the European Energy Regulators’s Strategic Away Day, hosted by EWRC.
In his address to the participants EWRC Chairman stressed on the leading role of the European Regulators’ organizations CEER and ACER as generators of new European energy policy vision. He pointed out that the forum is recognition of the Bulgarian energy regulator’s authority at a time of the Bulgarian EU Council presidency. The adoption of the regulatory framework for further development of the wholesale electricity market by introducing the last "intraday" power exchange trading segment and speeding up the implementation in the Bulgarian legislation of the Wholesale Energy Markets Integrity and Transparency Rules (REMIT) were outlined as main immediate tasks for EWRC. It was pointed out that this would enable EWRC to ensure the transparency of the power exchange electricity trading. To this end, the establishment of a special unit in EWRC for monitoring and control is pending and an urgent task is to enhance its administrative capacity. Another important task of the Bulgarian regulator is the development of the retail market in Bulgaria, said Assoc. Prof. Ivan Ivanov. In its electricity price approval decisions for households EWRC consistently applies market principles and mechanisms, thus creating conditions for a natural transition to the forthcoming full market liberalization. Following the European principles consumers to be a key focus of regulatory activity, the Commission considers it necessary to create conditions for them to make informed choices through accessible supplier offers comparison platforms and greater clarity of electricity invoices. Recognizing the vulnerable consumers’ protection importance for the market liberalization, EWRC, Ministry of Energy and EC DG "Energy" have developed a comprehensive package of measures including financial and non-financial instruments. This is an established European practice for successful conducting the market liberalization process, which prevents the influence of negative factors related to possible social disturbances, said Assoc. Prof. Ivan Ivanov.
Regarding the natural gas sector EWRC Chairman said that diversification of sources and supply routes are critical to the national security of our country. He informed about the joint actions with the Greek and Romanian regulators for the construction of interconnectors in the Balkans in order to achieve gas connectivity as a step towards creating a regional market, leading to better prices for consumers and guaranteeing the energy independence of the region and the entire continent.
CEER meeting, which took place in Bulgaria, was headed by the President of the organization and ACER Board of Regulators Chairman Gareth Blaney and, EU national regulators representatives attended the meeting. The Bulgarian energy regulator was presented by EWRC members Evgenia Haritonova and Svetla Todorova. The main focus of the meeting was to develop a Council of European Energy Regulators’ strategic policy vision for the coming years related to the implementation of the Third Energy Package and the forthcoming Clean Energy package, sustainable low-carbon energy at the lowest cost achievement and the prospects for digitization in the energy sector.
Prior to the opening of the 4th CEER Away Day EWRC Chairman Assoc. Prof. Ivan Ivanov met with CEER President Garrett Blaney. They discussed issues related to CEER role in coordinating and supporting the work of national regulators authorities to achieve common goals avoiding political and corporate influence on regulatory decision-making and implementing EU legislation into national regulations in the energy sector.
