Conferences of the European Union
The European Commission set up the Florence Forum in 1998 to create a common electricity market within the EU's internal market. One year later, the Madrid Forum for the Development of Natural Gas ), Equivalent to the Florence Congress, for the Natural Gas sector. The European Regulatory Conferences are convened once a year with the participation of the Commission, the Member States, Members of the European Parliament, representatives of energy regulators and transmission system operators, representatives of traders' organizations, consumers, transport network users, and the organized energy markets and have now emerged as informal advisory bodies in the Community and areas where the problems of the internal market are emerging but also the promotion of solutions to them. The European Regulatory Conferences of Florence and Madrid formed the basis for the establishment of the London Forum, which provides support to consumers for the problems they face in the energy market and seeks solutions. The first meeting of the Conference took place on 28 October 2008 in London. They also formed the basis for the establishment of the European Forum for Sustainable Energy (Bucharest Forum), which is dedicated to promoting sustainable energy.
CERA systematically monitors the European Energy Conferences and participates in their work.
More information on European conferences, as well as previous or planned meetings, is available on the European Commission's website.
Conferences of the Energy Community
The creation of the Energy Conferences Community reflects the development of the Energy Community. The Energy Conferences gather all relevant members. Under the chairmanship of a representative of the European Union, the Conferences adopt conclusions and transmit them to the Permanent High Level Group. The first electricity conference, the Athens Regulatory Conference, was convened in 2002, prior to the signing of the Treaty. Its meetings paved the way for the signing of the Athens Memorandum in 2002 and later for the drafting of the Treaty establishing the Energy Community. It worked base on the standards of the Florence Congress in the European Union. The Congress meets once a year in Athens. The Regulatory Congress of the Energy Community for Natural Gas runs once a year in Slovenia. The provisions of the Congress were part of the Athens process, even before the entry into force of the Treaty. The Treaty makes explicit reference to the creation of the Natural Gas Conference. The Oil Review Regulator was created by a decision of the Council of Ministers in 2008 to help implement the acquis of the Energy Community of Petroleum. The first session took place in 2009 and since then they meet once a year in Belgrade. The Regulatory Conference on Social Policy completes the Energy Community Conference System. It met each year from 2007 to 2014. It was set up to review the implementation of the principles set out in the Memorandum of Cooperation on Social Issues adopted in 2007.
More information on Energy Community Conferences, as well as previous or planned meetings, are available on the Energy Community website.