Energy sector players advocate for a flexible reform of the European Union's electricity market

Forum at the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute

The flexibility of the regulation of the European energy market is fundamental, as stated by sector agents and institutional representatives.

In a new edition of EFE Forum, agents from the energy sector have advocated that the future reform of the design of the European Union's electricity market includes sufficient flexibility to face future crises in the sector and greater protection for vulnerable consumers. The forum, held at the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute and organized jointly with PGE Group, was inaugurated by the undersecretary of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Miguel González Suela.

"The future renewable energy model needs to promote flexibility mechanisms such as storage." and to design "instruments that protect us from the crisis," González Suela asserted. For his part, the Polish Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment, Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertynski, stated that "in Europe we aspire to the same objective, although we have different strategies," clarifying that the goal is to produce energy at "affordable" prices for citizens and SMEs.

"Capacity mechanisms remain a key aspect for the future."Guibourgé-Czetwertynski stated that he requested market safety strategies in case progress is not made "quickly" in its development. The Polish Deputy Minister expressed his confidence that, under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which begins on July 1, an agreement will be reached that "shapes the new energy regulations" in Parliament and the Commission.

"The reform is an opportunity to take consumers into account and offer them support that will allow them to make better decisions."“That’s the point,” argued Nicolás González Casares, MEP for the European Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group and chief negotiator for the European Parliament on the reform of the European electricity market. During the round table at this EFE Forum, Albert Riera, advisor to the cabinet of the Secretary of State for Energy, commented that the time has come to “work on generating regulatory stability with credible and acceptable solutions for all member states.”

"The measures in the new regulations must have a community character and, if there have to be subsidies, it would be preferable for them to be European and not national."“This is a key point,” stated Pedro Basagoiti, Director of Technology and Innovation at OMIE. Finally, Wanda Buk, Vice President of Regulatory Framework at PGE, emphasized that “there are no one-size-fits-all solutions,” explaining that, for example, “the Iberian mechanism that worked very well in Spain would not have worked in Poland.” Therefore, Buk stressed the importance of not forgetting “regulatory flexibility, which allows for solutions tailored to each country.”

Agents in the energy sector have agreed on the need for a flexible reform that includes flexibility and protection mechanisms for vulnerable consumers, as well as security strategies for the markets. The Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union, which begins on July 1, is presented as an opportunity to reach an agreement that shapes the new regulation of energy regulations.