Our mission
Our perspective is European. Our overall purpose is to achieve a transition of the European energy system in line with political objectives set, reaping benefits of increased energy market integration across Europe, and securing low-carbon supply at least possible cost for European businesses and citizens.
ACER fosters a fully integrated and well-functioning Internal Energy Market, where electricity and gas are traded and supplied according to the highest integrity and transparency standards, so that EU consumers can benefit from a wider choice, fair prices and greater protection.
To achieve this, we work closely with the European Institutions, National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), national governments and market players.
Over time, the Agency received additional tasks and responsibilities to better pursue the integration of the European internal energy market. With the latest provisions adopted in the Clean Energy Package (2019), the Agency has also further strengthened its responsibilities on the coordination with NRAs and cross-border cooperation.
How do we work?
Our main areas of activity are:
- Supporting the integration of the EU national energy markets, by developing common network and market rules, coordinating NRAs at European level, as well as by taking part in regional and cross-regional initiatives and organising working groups.
- Monitoring the well-functioning and transparency of the EU internal energy market, in order to deter market manipulation and abusive behaviour. Since late 2011, the Agency has the specific mandate of overseeing wholesale energy trading.
- Advising the EU Institutions on trans-European energy infrastructural issues. ACER also monitors the work of the European Networks of Transmission System Operators for gas and electricity (ENTSOG and ENTSO-E); issuing opinions on their EU-wide network development plans (TYNDP) and ensuring that these are aligned with the priorities set at European level.
To progress on these activities, the Agency can issue:
- non-binding opinions and recommendations to NRAs, transmission system operators (TSOs), and the EU institutions;
- binding individual decisions in specific cases and conditions about cross-border infrastructural issues;
- draft framework guidelines (as in the case of network codes), on request of the European Commission.