ACER
The Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) has been established in the framework of the Third Energy Package with the aim of promoting the further creation of the internal energy market for both electricity and natural gas.
Based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the ACER officially launched its operations in March 2011.
The ACER is an independent European organization whose role is to promote cooperation among European energy regulators and to ensure that regulatory frameworks are integrated and harmonized in accordance with the objectives of the EU's energy policy, where the aim is to create:
- A competitive, integrated market providing consumers with greater choice,
- An efficient energy supply infrastructure facilitating the unhindered, cross-border movement of energy and the transmission of energy from new sources, thereby strengthening the security of supply to businesses and consumers in the EU,
- A monitored, transparent energy market that guarantees consumers fair prices that reflect costs and deter fraudulent practices.
The ACER's Natural Gas Department focuses on three key areas with the aim of attaining the abovementioned goals:
General instructions and network codes, including regional natural gas initiatives,
Cooperation among transmission system operators (TSO) and infrastructure and network development,
Market monitoring