Empowering citizens to achieve a just and affordable energy transition

On Monday, 31^st March, TEN Section President Baiba Miltoviča participated in the 2025 Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) Consumers Focus Conference, co-organised by the European Commission.

The conference explored the role of decentralised energy systems in empowering consumers, with a particular focus on issues such as energy affordability, the inclusion of vulnerable consumers in energy sharing schemes and energy communities, and the removal of regulatory barriers to enable collective prosumerism.

On this occasion, TEN Section President Baiba Miltoviča opened the event alongside CEER Secretary General Mara Berzina and Alejandro Ulzurrun, Head of Unit at DG ENER in the unit focusing on consumers, local initiatives and just transition.

The role of collective energy self-consumption in the energy transition, and the crucial potential of individuals to drive the green transformation of the European energy system, has arrived at the top of the agenda of the new Commission.

Testimony to this are several provisions contained in the recent Action Plan on Affordable Energy, in particular the proposed introduction of a Citizens Energy Package by the end of the year. This flagship initiative—mandated by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Commissioner Jørgensen—aims to increase citizen participation in the energy transition, strengthen the social dimension of the Energy Union, and introduce additional measures to combat energy poverty.

The EESC has long emphasised the importance of placing citizens at the heart of energy policy. Initiatives such as prosumerism, energy communities, and energy sharing schemes are key mechanisms to achieve this. Decentralised energy production enhances access to active energy citizenship and strengthens democratic engagement in the transition.

Unfortunately, several issues and bottlenecks are hindering the growth of these schemes, in terms of market integration, excessive price regulation and tax complexity and also with regards to the lack of support frameworks for citizens.

Both CEER and the European Commission share this view and are committed to working together to provide guidelines and concrete solutions that enable communities and consumers to actively participate in the energy transition. The Citizens Energy Package will explore three essential elements for consumer engagement: energy self-consumption, demand response, and energy community initiatives. The aim is to ensure a just transition and facilitate the implementation of EU rules, providing technical assistance, funding, and public information.

The Committee will take an active role in the development of this package through an exploratory opinion, requested by the Commission, which will identify the barriers to prosumerism and energy communities and define the necessary conditions for a strong support framework for citizen involvement.

This collaboration with the Commission will also take shape through the joint organisation of this year’s Energy Poverty Conference, Delivering Affordable Energy in Europe, taking place on 11^th June. A dedicated panel will focus on collective energy self-consumption schemes and their potential.

The EESC, together with CEER and the European Commission, remains fully committed to placing consumers at the centre of energy policy. The shared goal is to create an affordable, decarbonised, and decentralised energy system that is inclusive and just for all.