At its September plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion urging the European Commission to ensure that the Citizens’ Energy Package truly puts people at the heart of the EU’s energy system. The EESC emphasises that the initiative must go beyond a checklist and become the foundation of a genuine social pact for a citizen-driven energy transition.

The Committee calls for clarity on key concepts such as energy communities and prosumerism, advocating a shift from viewing people as passive consumers to active co-creators of Europe’s energy future. In the opinion drafted by Corina Murafa Benga, the EESC proposes concrete measures, including regulatory sandboxes, dedicated funding streams and technical support to make energy communities and energy sharing a functional reality across the EU.

‘Current EU energy discourse frequently positions individuals as “consumers”, implicitly reinforcing market-centric models. We need a shift towards viewing people as “citizens” – members of a political community with energy rights,’ said Ms Murafa Benga. ‘There can be no citizenship without energy, and the EU must uphold the full implementation of European citizenship.’

Energy communities are highlighted as strategic actors in the transition, and the EESC urges the Commission to provide clear guidance on their establishment and operation, tax and tariff deductions, and support from distribution system operators (DSOs). The Committee also recommends that the European Investment Bank develop a facility for local and regional energy communities, and that funding prioritise youth engagement, energy literacy and green skills.

Addressing energy poverty is a key priority. The EESC calls for a unified definition and data-driven identification of affected households, starting at the local level, and insists that households be the reference point for energy poverty milestones. The Committee urges the EU to adopt specific measures, such as an EU-wide ban on household disconnections, moving away from the merit order system that links electricity prices to gas prices, and establishing a European energy ombudsman with local branches.

The EESC also stresses the importance of linking public funding for energy projects to the participation of local communities as shareholders, and other forms of benefit-sharing. (mp)