MEDREG, the association of mediterranean regulators
CRE participates in the work of MedReg, the association of regulators in the Mediterranean basin. Created in 2007, it promotes exchanges of best practices between the regulators in 21 countries around the Mediterranean basin, and the creation of consistent regulatory frameworks across the region. CRE actively contributes the various working groups and, with its Algerian counterpart, co-chairs the “electricity” working group.
In January 2017, the association published a report on the organisation and working methods of Mediterranean regulators.
The association’s 34th General Meeting took place in Cyprus on 29 November 2017, and was hosted by the Cypriot regulator CERA. At the meeting, working methods were agreed to take account of practical issues encountered in the southern states.
The EU Commission supports the work of MedReg, and on 22 December 2017 signed a grant contract to provide around €1 million of funding in 2018.
See MEDREG website
The OECD
Since its creation, CRE has also participated in the work of the NER (Network of Economic Regulators), part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD).
Jean-Yves Ollier, who served as Chief Executive of CRE between 2011 and 2017, was Vice-Chairman of the NER Executive Committee in 2016, before becoming the Chairman in 2017.
This forum, whose first formal meeting took place in November 2013, brings together more than 80 regulators from OECD member states and partner countries, competent in the energy, telecoms, transport, and water sectors, among others. It provides a forum for discussion on issues relating to governance and regulatory practices in these industries.
Visit the NER website
ERRA
CRE joined the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) in 2020 as an associate member. Founded in 2000, ERRA is a regional association with its headquarters in Budapest and whose founding members, who make up the vast majority of its members, are regulators from the countries of the former Soviet sphere. Its influence has now spread and it currently includes some forty countries from all continents.
In addition to the General Assembly, which meets at least once a year, ERRA also has a Strategic Advisory Board and several working groups such as the Licensing and Competition Committee, the Tariffs and Prices Committee and the Customer and Retail Markets Working Group.
Through its associate membership, CRE can attend the general assembly meetings (without voting rights) and the working group meetings. CRE is represented by Commissioner Ivan Faucheux.
Since September 2020, ERRA has been headed by Maia Melikidze, Commissioner of GNERC, the Georgian regulator.
The energy community regulatory board, ECRB
The treaty establishing the Energy Community was signed in 2005, and aims to extend the internal market in energy to the Balkans. Its work on electricity and gas market regulation is prepared by the ECRB, the Energy Community Regulatory Board.
After Georgia joined the Energy Community in 2016, Giorgi Pangani, Commissioner to the Georgian regulatory GNERC, was appointed Chairman of the ECRB in December 2017.
CRE has participant status with the ECRB. It contributes to consultation efforts through the ECRB and participates in moves to implement the acquis communautaire in the Balkans.
Visit the ECRB website
Cooperation
Partners
Having been in existence for 18 years and enjoying a prominent position in Europe, CRE is committed to cooperating with foreign regulators or foreign government departments looking to create regulatory authorities, and more generally with states keen to introduce market reforms and deregulate their electricity and gas sectors.
While foreign regulators and institutions are always the ultimate beneficiaries of such cooperation efforts, French providers of funds or European institutions may occasionally seek CRE’s assistance. CRE also sometimes works in tandem with other regulators from EU Member States, to provide combined expertise.
Cooperative approach
For CRE, productive cooperation requires in-depth knowledge of regulatory issues and a good understanding of the situation and needs of the country concerned.
Its offers of cooperation are therefore built on a combination of previous experience and diagnostic assessments, putting the emphasis on high quality dialogue and promoting a climate of trust based on its neutrality and independence. Exchanges of experience and best practices form the core of its work in the international arena. International cooperation is a means of comparing different regulatory models and market oversight issues, while providing valuable input to French and European thinking on regulatory matters.
Forms of cooperation
CRE’s offers of cooperation are always defined in conjunction with the partner concerned, and involve:
- Study trips to France, with delegates from foreign authorities visiting CRE’s offices. In 2017, CRE received several delegations from Japan, one from Armenia, and one from Burkina Faso;
- Expert field assessments carried out by CRE on-site at the request of certain countries, to identify and suggest solutions to issues in the local energy sector, market and network structure;
- Twinning arrangements between authorities. Funded by the European Union as part of its neighbourhood policy and generally lasting for a two-year period, twinning agreements require a high level of commitment by both parties, on-site and remotely, and are one of the most complete forms of international cooperation. In 2017, CRE was selected to work in Morocco alongside the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Solidarity, as part of the twinning arrangement known as “Support for strengthening the energy sector”.