On 12 and 13 October, FNI, together with the Florence School of Regulation (Robert Schuman Centre, EUI), will host an interdisciplinary workshop in Florence, where initial findings from the FNI-led project ‘Implementing Network Codes’ (INC) will be presented.

With this workshop, we will facilitate an open discussion among interested stakeholders and researchers on the regulation of the European electricity market and take stock of the many detailed rules that have emerged in the broader context of EU governance and integration.

‘At a time when the organization of the electricity market is being discussed at the highest political level across Europe, it is crucial to take stock of the regulatory developments of recent years and the rules currently in place’ explains Torbjørg Jevnaker, FNI project leader. 

The INC project, funded by the Norwegian Research Council, examines the decisions being made in the implementation phase of the EU’s energy market policy – terms, conditions and methodologies (TCMs). Instead of each member state making regulatory decisions separately in connection with the implementation of general EU energy legislation, many decisions are taken at the end of extensive rulemaking processes, involving significant cooperation across countries – and at the European level. But does such decision-making lead to greater harmonization, or open for diverging regulation across countries? 

‘Within a framework set by the EU, an extensive regulatory framework at the national, regional and European levels has been established. Not just whether, but also for which specific issues, do these rules maintain diverse regulatory approaches or further harmonization?’ asks project leader Torbjørg Jevnaker. ‘How has the role of ACER, as an EU agency, developed within this framework, and how has this shaped the outcomes? Is the regulatory approach unique to the electricity sector? What can we expect for the future in terms of implementation in a volatile world?’ These are questions INC will pursue.

The two-day workshop will consist of four sessions, each discussing different aspects of the impact of the new rules regulating electricity markets in Europe. Each session will start with the presentation of a research brief on the topic and related findings from the INC project, followed up by an expert panel. The sessions will address the following subjects:

12 October:

Session 1: The evolving role of ACER: Emergence, practice, and review of the TCMs 
Session 2: Electricity rulemaking in perspective: comparing the TCM with other sectors

13 October:

Session 3: Stocktaking the adopted TCMs – towards harmonization, or diversity?
Session 4: Implementation and adjustment ahead: flexible for the energy transition?

We are fortunate to be joined by experts in the field – researchers, stakeholders, and EU representatives, all with valuable insights. The panels will be composed of representatives from the European Commission, ACER, GEODE, ENTSO-E, E-control, Osnabrück University, University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, the Florence School of Regulation, the University of Göttingen, and Utrecht University.

Read more and register for the workshop here: https://www.eui.eu/events?id=546007