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Position papers
Available in
English
The energy market is too complex and often out of reach for most households to offer consumers fair opportunities to engage. Recent reforms of EU energy law give consumers new rights and protections, but these will only work if properly implemented, monitored, supported, and enforced. BEUC is therefore strongly supportive of the Citizens Energy Package and calls on the European Commission for an ambitious initiative that should result in lower energy bills. All consumers must be properly protected and able to exercise their rights, access renewable energy, and take advantage of innovative energy contracts and schemes.
Below, we summarise the key recommendations that are needed to turn consumers rights into
concrete actions. The measures and best practices are explained in more detail in the respective
sections of the consultation response.
Below, we summarise the key recommendations that are needed to turn consumers rights into
concrete actions. The measures and best practices are explained in more detail in the respective
sections of the consultation response.
Reports
Available in
English
We asked consumers about their personal experience with their heat pump in France, Spain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. To this end, a consumer organisation in each country conducted interviews with six to eight heat pump owners last summer (2024) to gain a snapshot of their experience.
The testimonies highlight the benefits heat pumps can bring to people’s homes and show what policymakers can learn from their experience.
This is the executive summary of that exercise. To read the full report, click here.
The testimonies highlight the benefits heat pumps can bring to people’s homes and show what policymakers can learn from their experience.
This is the executive summary of that exercise. To read the full report, click here.
Position papers
Available in
English
The energy sector is complex, and many consumers struggle to fully participate in the market or benefit from the opportunities the energy transition offers. Recent reforms have introduced new rights and protections to help consumers and ensure they are properly protected. However, these improvements will only become a reality and consumers will only be adequately protected with the help and active involvement of national regulators and the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER).
Position papers
Available in
English
The energy sector is complex, and many consumers struggle to fully participate in the market or benefit from the opportunities the energy transition offers. Recent reforms have introduced new rights and protections to help consumers and ensure they are properly protected. However, these improvements will only become a reality and consumers will only be adequately protected with the help and active involvement of national regulators and the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER).
Position papers
Available in
English
The electricity grid is prominent in energy transition debates, including the press, as Europeans take up solar panels, electric cars, heat pumps, and other clean tech. For consumers it is obviously important to be able to connect these to the grid. People should also be able to use electricity flexibly to make use of moments when prices are lower. This should benefit the grid and keep costs for its development in check. Households pay for the electricity grid via network tariffs. These should not disproportionality burden households versus other users of the grid. Finally, innovation in grid technology brings opportunities and challenges: this requires careful monitoring by regulators.
Reports
Available in
English
There is a clear need for energy renovation in the European housing stock. It is estimated that 75% of European buildings are currently insufficiently insulated. Scaling up housing retrofit works is key to meeting our decarbonisation targets, but also the best option to reduce energy bills and increase people’s comfort.
The political awareness about the importance of housing renovation has greatly increased over the past years and the issues of energy and housing are increasingly seen as closely intertwined, as shown by the appointment of a European Commissioner responsible for both matters.
One crucial step in any housing renovation project is the establishment of a clear diagnosis about the
energy performance of the property. The main tool to do so is the ‘Energy Performance Certificate’ (EPCs).
Given their important role in housing policies, EPCs have to be reliable and trustworthy. Unfortunately, many studies and investigations have revealed significant shortcomings in the way EPCs have been implemented.
That’s why BEUC, together with its members in Slovakia, Italy and Slovenia, decided to conduct a mystery shopping exercise. The results, detailed in this new report, examine whether consumers can genuinely rely upon EPCs to assess the energy performance of their home and what potential improvements they could make.
The political awareness about the importance of housing renovation has greatly increased over the past years and the issues of energy and housing are increasingly seen as closely intertwined, as shown by the appointment of a European Commissioner responsible for both matters.
One crucial step in any housing renovation project is the establishment of a clear diagnosis about the
energy performance of the property. The main tool to do so is the ‘Energy Performance Certificate’ (EPCs).
Given their important role in housing policies, EPCs have to be reliable and trustworthy. Unfortunately, many studies and investigations have revealed significant shortcomings in the way EPCs have been implemented.
That’s why BEUC, together with its members in Slovakia, Italy and Slovenia, decided to conduct a mystery shopping exercise. The results, detailed in this new report, examine whether consumers can genuinely rely upon EPCs to assess the energy performance of their home and what potential improvements they could make.
Press releases
Available in
English
The European Commission announced wide-reaching plans today to help make consumers’ energy bills more affordable. The plans are part of the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal and were announced together with a significant scaling back of green finance rules as part of efforts to boost Europe’s competitiveness.
Reports
Available in
English
Heat pumps are no longer a technology of the future – they are already heating and cooling homes across Europe today. It is now firmly established that heat pumps are key enablers of achieving Europe’s energy and climate goals and in times of wars and crisis, they make Europe less dependent on foreign fossil fuel imports.
