The European Commission has presented a set of recommendations with the aim of placing households at the centre of the energy transition, turning climate ambition into concrete outcomes. Building on the Citizens Energy Package and the AccelerateEU communication, the initiative combines measures to improve affordability, reinforce consumer protection, and enable more active participation in the energy system, in a context shaped by price volatility and the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

The package is structured around a set of recommendations and documents addressing both the social dimension and the functioning of the energy market. The recommendations are accompanied by a set of documents, including:

• Recommendation on protecting vulnerable customers against disconnections and during natural gas phase-out
• Recommendation on helping consumers to find the best deal
• Recommendation on protecting consumers from the risk of supplier bankruptcies
• Recommendation on empowering energy communities and self-consumption
• Staff Working Document – Citizens Energy Package

These instruments aim not only to mitigate social risks but also to activate the role of citizens as agents of change, promoting self-consumption, energy communities, and more flexible consumption patterns. Their impact, however, will depend on effective implementation by Member States and on their ability to adapt these measures to diverse national contexts.

_{Source of the picture: European Commission (©AdobeStock/Metamorworks)}