COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION - SYNOPSIS REPORT Synopsis report on the consultation activities for the development of the Citizens Energy Package Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the Citizens Energy Package
Date: 2026-03-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission
Subjects: EU energy policy, clean technology, consumer protection, energy efficiency, energy poverty, energy production, energy supply, energy transition, price of energy, renewable energy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Strasbourg, 10.3.2026  SWD(2026) 115 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION - SYNOPSIS REPORT  Synopsis report on the consultation activities for the development of the Citizens Energy Package Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the Citizens Energy Package {COM(2026) 115 final}  
 
 
Synopsis report on the consultation activities 
for developing the Citizens Energy Package 

This  document  should  be  regarded  merely  as  a  summary  of  the  contributions  made  by 
stakeholders to the consultation activities on the Citizens Energy Package. It may not in any 
circumstances be regarded as the official position of the Commission or of its staff. Responses 
to the consultation activities cannot be considered to be a representative sample of the views 
of the EU population.  

1. Objectives of the consultation  

The Citizens’ Energy Package for a Just Transition and Consumer Empowerment aims to set 
out a clear policy vision to place citizens at the heart of EU energy policy, ensuring that no one 
– especially the energy-poor, vulnerable populations or regions disproportionately affected by 
the transition – is left behind in the move toward a greener, fairer energy system.  

 An  essential  part  of  the  affordable  energy  action  plan,  the  package  aims  to  reduce  energy 
poverty, promote access to renewable energy and energy efficiency, and create opportunities 
linked to net-zero industries. It is based on three key objectives: reinforcing the just transition 
principle, enabling active consumers to participate in energy markets – both individually as 
active  customers  and  collectively  through  energy  communities  –  and  ensuring  energy 
affordability throughout the EU.   

By strengthening consumer trust in the market, encouraging supplier switching, and improving 
access to innovative services, the package fosters a more dynamic, inclusive, and consumer-
driven  energy  market.  It  also  supports  the  Clean  Industrial  Deal  and  is  aligned  with  EU 
electrification  and  digitalization  strategies,  ensuring  that  these  are  delivered  in  a  consumer-
friendly manner. Crucially, its success will depend on effective implementation of existing EU 
legislation by Member States, guided by the guidance documents in the package and supported 
by improved information, awareness-raising campaigns, and local engagement – empowering 
millions of people to take an active role in the energy transition, while avoiding added burdens 
for businesses.  

Public  feedback  will  guide  the  Commission  in  helping  Member  States  effectively  apply 
consumer protection rules on the ground.  

As the Citizens Energy Package focusses on citizens and implementation on the ground it was 
necessary to devise a broad and comprehensive consultative strategy. In addition to an open 
public  consultation  and call  for  evidence  on  the  Citizens’  Energy  Package,  several  targeted 
consultations on the related guidance documents as well as the European Citizens’ Panel on 
Energy Efficiency were launched. These targeted key stakeholders including Member States, 
regulators, consumer organizations, industry, local and regional authorities, civil society, and 
citizens.  This  facilitated  broad  understanding  and  ownership  of  the  initiative  among  key 
stakeholders.  It  sought  to  gather  input  to  shape  the  package’s  priority  areas  and  actions, 
complementing feedback already collected through stakeholder engagement in 2024, such as 
the  Citizens  Energy  Forum  and  the  regulatory  roundtable.  This  process  was  part  of  wider 
engagement  efforts  to  ensure  that  the  package  reflects  the  needs  and  perspectives  of  all 
stakeholders on all topics. The following section will touch on the different initiatives and their 
methodologies.  

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2. Consultation activities and methodology  

2.1. Targeted stakeholder consultations – Informal working group on consumers  

The  DG  ENER  informal  working  group  on  energy  consumers  brought  together  key 
stakeholders  from  across  the  energy  sector  –  including  representatives  of  consumers, 
regulators, suppliers, and distribution system operators (DSOs) – to discuss and provide input 
on the upcoming Citizens Energy Package (CEP). This collaborative forum aimed to gather 
diverse perspectives to help shape the development of the CEP and ensure that it addresses the 
concerns and needs of all parties involved. The focus lay heavily on providing input for the 
recommendations that are part of the Citizens Energy Package.  

In January 2025, DG ENER distributed a questionnaire to the working group members, which 
include CEER, BEUC, Eurelectric, Eurogas, EER, CEDEC, E.DSO, the EU DSO Entity and 
GEODE. The group provided detailed feedback and wrote reports focusing on five key topics 
critical  to  the  CEP  guidance  documents:  protection  from  disconnection,  safeguarding 
vulnerable customers during the gas phaseout, supplier risk management, energy sharing and 
energy communities, and the clarity and transparency of energy offers. The working group met 
three times in early 2025, on 20 January, 2 April, and 5 June, to discuss these issues and shared 
its views with the Commission through informal reports, which were taken into account in the 
guidance documents of the package.   

2.2. Targeted stakeholder consultations – Member States   

Member State targeted consultation   

All Member States were invited to join a session on the CEP on 12 May 2025. The central idea 
of  the  package  was  presented,  and  clarification  on  the  planned  guidance  was  provided. 
Following this session a questionnaire was sent out using the EUSurvey tool. A reminder was 
also  shared  on  a  previous  questionnaire  relating  to  the  energy  poverty  coordination  group, 
which tackled the remaining topics of the CEP.  

This questionnaire consisted of the following three sections: 

1)  active customers, energy sharing and energy communities; 
2)  ensuring understandable and comparable pre-contractual information;  
3)  supplier risk management.  

This questionnaire received 11 replies (BE, DE, IE, LT, LU, MT, NL, AT, PT, RO, FI and 
SE). The replies were processed and provided valuable input for the CEP. On 23 of June, a 
follow-up session ensued in which the Commission presented the results, followed by a debate. 
Further clarification on the CEP was provided. No Member State raised any objection to the 
summary, the package or its accompanying documents.  

Energy poverty coordination group and stakeholders contact group  

A questionnaire  focusing  on disconnections and  the protection of vulnerable customers and 
customers in energy poverty, and another on the guidance on gas phase-out were drawn up and 
sent by email to the informal DG ENER stakeholder contact group on energy poverty (with 
around  35  members,  mainly  representing  NGOs  such  as  CAN  Europe,  EAPN,  EYEN, 
FEANTSA,  Housing  Europe  and  IUT;  energy  suppliers  such  as  Eurelectric  and  Eurogas; 
consumer organisations such as BEUC; and think tanks such as the EPC and IDDRI). By the 

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deadline  of  18  February,  19  replies  had  been  received.  Some  stakeholders  completed  the 
questionnaire jointly in groups.   

The questionnaires were also presented to the Member States at the meeting of the coordination 
group  on  energy  poverty  and  vulnerable  consumers  on  4  February  2025.  The  Commission 
received completed questionnaires from 12 Member States: AT, BE, DK, DE, IE, ES, FR, 
LT, HU, MT, NL and PT. The results of all questionnaires were presented at the following 
coordination group meeting on 1 July 2025. A follow-up meeting with stakeholders was also 
organised on 10 April 2025 to discuss the results. Overall, no objections were raised, and the 
work on the guidance documents was welcomed.   

2.3. Open public consultation and call for evidence  

A.  Open public consultation  

Between 19 June and 11 September 2025, the Commission ran an open public consultation to 
gather feedback for its upcoming Citizens’ Energy Package. The feedback was published on 
the Commission ‘Have your say’ web page, and the survey was run using the EUSurvey tool. 
The questionnaire contained a total of 29 questions spread over the following three sections: 
1)  the  just  transition  and  energy  poverty;  2)  consumer  empowerment;  and  3)  consumer 
protection, affordability and public acceptance. All three sections contained a free text field in 
which respondents could add comments. It was not mandatory to respond to all questions, so 
all participants had the option of responding only to the questions of relevance to them.   

The  open  public  consultation  received  107  submissions  from  a  wide  range  of  respondents 
through the ‘Have your say’ portal, and a further nine completed questionnaires were submitted 
late. Feedback was received on all topics covered by the package.  

B.  Call for evidence  

Between 19 June and 11 September 2025, the Commission also ran a call for evidence to gather 
feedback for its upcoming Citizens’ Energy Package. The purposed of this consultation was to 
obtain  information  and  receive  comments  and  proposals  on  the  planned  initiatives  the 
protection of citizens and their participation in the energy market. The consultation addressed 
both the general public and key energy stakeholders. In order to be successful, the Citizens’ 
Energy  Package  needs  wider  ownership  based  on  real  engagement  with  stakeholders.  All 
respondents could add comments in a free text field and upload a document or position paper.   

The call for evidence received 122 submissions from a wide range of respondents through the 
‘Have your say’ portal, and a further four contributions were submitted late.  Feedback was 
received on all topics covered by the package.  

In total three responses to the call for evidence were moderated: two for breach of feedback 
rules and one at the request of the stakeholder.  

3. Key conclusions (per focus area)  

Scope of Citizens’ Energy Package – Protecting and empowering consumers in the just 
transition  

Respondents expressed broad support for the package and made many proposals on how its 
main objectives should be pursued. Some proposals concerned affordability: many households 

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and businesses stressed that energy is not a commodity but a basic need, requiring protective 
measures,  including  reform  of  energy  taxation  (e.g.  reducing  electricity  taxes  to  minimum 
levels EU, restructuring levies) and set targeted relief mechanisms (revenues from ETS2 and 
the Social Climate Fund to flow back to citizens via direct support). A lack of understanding 
of the different tariff options; and limited price visibility (consumers often lack real-time access 
to pricing information, making it more difficult for them to optimise consumption or switch 
suppliers  when  cheaper  offers  arise)  were  said  to  be  major  issues.  The  concept  of  ‘green 
contracts’ should be introduced in national law, as they are expected to play a fundamental role 
in  cost-efficient  decarbonisation.  Some  responses  highlighted  that  Member  States  are 
supporting  the  expansion  of  biomethane  production  by  providing  financial  incentives  and 
cutting red tape for permitting. Member States should prioritise digitalisation and flexibility in 
distribution grids, ensuring that competitive offers are backed by a system that can deliver them 
efficiently.  Some  stressed  that  cross-subsidisation  may  lead  to  inequity,  as  for  below-cost 
tariffs, the gap is covered by other market participants or public funds, leading to inefficiencies 
and unfair cost distribution among consumers.  

Numerous proposals aim to reduce energy poverty and some seek to embed social fairness 
in all EU energy and climate frameworks. The specific measures proposed include boosting 
deep  building  renovation  through  EU-level  incentive  schemes  tied  to  efficiency  gains  and 
integration of renovation policies with demand-side flexibility; setting ring-fenced funds for 
vulnerable consumers; and national and local governments providing targeted financing and 
advisory services and setting tenant-focused legislation. Integrate disability into policy design, 
implementation  and  monitoring  was  also  said  to  be  an  important  step.   Preventing 
disconnections  was  often 
the  Commission  Recommendation 
informing 
accompanying the package addressing disconnections.  The lack of awareness and visibility of 
clean, decentralised heating solutions, such as solar thermal were also stressed.  

stressed, 

A strong call was made to empower citizens and communities as active participants in the 
energy transition through proposals for a minimum percentage grant for energy communities’ 
infrastructure,  integrating  community-led  data  into  governance  frameworks  and  ensuring 
privacy,  ownership  rights,  and  transparency.  Municipalities  should  work  with  social 
organizations (e.g. schools, churches, NGOs) to engage harder-to-reach citizens. Trust is an 
essential requirement for consumer participation in and acceptance of  the  energy transition. 
Clarity  and  comparability  of  possibly  standardised  templates  for  energy  contracts  and  bills 
were specified as a way of improving consumer protection. The Commission recommendation 
on precontractual information reflects this call for intervention. Many stakeholders called for 
the  Electricity  Market  Design  Directive,  recast  Gas  Directive  and  Energy  Performance  of 
Buildings Directive to be implemented swiftly. Some stressed the importance of maintaining 
technological  neutrality  and  a  diverse  energy  mix  (renewables,  biomethane,  hydrogen, 
electricity). Others emphasised fair, planned decommissioning of fossil gas infrastructure, with 
prior  communication,  compensation  for  stranded  assets  and  protections  for  vulnerable 
consumers.  Citizens  need  to  be  empowered  at  all  levels  of  governance.  At  the  EU  level, 
citizens must be empowered by the legal framework. The national level is needed to implement 
dynamic tariffs, net metering and fair remuneration, to channel ETS revenues to vulnerable 
citizens  and  to  provide  regulatory  sandboxes  for  testing  innovative  solutions  and  ambitious 
efficiency  targets.  The  local  level  is  essential  to  carry  out  targeted  awareness-raising 
campaigns, support energy communities and promote the embedding of youth and consumer 
representation in energy governance.  

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Guidance on protection against disconnection  

Member  States  underlined  that  most  of  them  already  have  protective  measures  in  place, 
including winter disconnection bans, minimum energy provision or mandatory payment plans. 
At the same time, they stressed the importance of subsidiarity and that disconnection policy 
should  remain  a  national  competence,  tailored  to  local  conditions.  The  feedback  received 
showed  that  practices  differ  between  Member  States,  from  the  identification  of  vulnerable 
customers  to  disconnection  procedures  and  financing  models.  For  example,  some  countries 
extend protection to all households during certain periods, while others restrict it to customers 
formally registered as vulnerable.   

Public  and  private  stakeholders  generally  argued  for  strong,  EU-wide  guarantees.  Many 
emphasized that access to a minimum level of energy should be treated as a basic right, and 
disconnection  of  vulnerable  customers  should  be  legally  prohibited.  Special  attention  was 
drawn  to  safeguards  such  as  advance  notice  before  disconnection,  individual  assessment  of 
vulnerability (including health, income and disability status), and moratoria during winter or 
periods  of  extreme  weather.  There  was  no  clear  consensus  on  who  should  finance  such 
protections, with some pointing to suppliers, others to national budgets or EU funds.  

Overall,  it  may  be  concluded  that  there  is  broad  agreement  that  disconnection  must  be  a 
measure of last resort and that safeguards such as notice periods, involvement of social services 
and seasonal bans are essential. The need for cooperation and coordination between different 
actors  in  the  energy  market  was  also  highlighted.  Both  stakeholders  and  Member  States 
recognise  the  challenges  in  financing  protections  and  identifying  vulnerable  consumers 
effectively. The guidance on energy disconnections therefore highlights these issues, providing 
more clarity on the identification of vulnerable customers and the consequential targeting of 
measures,  and  emphasising  aspects  such  as  multi-actor  and  multi-level  governance  and  the 
importance of social safeguards in the context of energy disconnections.  

Several practices and examples were gathered through the formal and informal consultations, 
which  were  then  used  in  the  staff  working  document.  Contributions  also  helped  give  the 
document  its  outline,  for  example  in  the  distinction  between  prevention  and  protection 
measures against energy disconnections.   

Guidance on the protection of energy-poor customers while planning and implementing 
the phase-out of natural gas  

There was broad agreement on the urgency of a just and inclusive energy transition, heavily 
emphasising the need to avoid leaving any citizen, particularly those in vulnerable situations, 
behind. Energy efficiency and reduced consumption are seen as crucial for addressing energy 
poverty and maintaining affordability throughout the transition. Stakeholders broadly agree on 
the need for increased communication, transparency, and public engagement to build trust and 
acceptance of renewable energy projects, with suggestions for benefit-sharing mechanisms to 
support  local  communities.  Financial  support  is  considered  key  to  overcome  the  upfront 
investment  cost  of  switching  to  alternative  energy  sources,  especially  for  energy-poor  and 
vulnerable  households.  That  is  why  this  guidance  pays  particular  attention  to  these 
matters. Views differ on the role of gas infrastructure and renewable gases in a resilient energy 
system. This issue is not considered to be within the scope of this guidance.   

Guidance on the summary of the key contractual terms and conditions  

The feedback received highlights a strong demand for clear, simple, and comparable energy 
offers. Stakeholders prioritise transparent communication, emphasising the importance of clear 

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and simple language, calling for concise terminology and seeking easy comparison of offers. 
Timely presentation of information is also considered crucial. The most critical information to 
be  prominently  displayed  includes  price,  tariff  information,  contract  duration,  termination 
conditions, origin of energy, billing practices, and customer support. The results underscore 
the  need  for  a  standardised  approach  to  information  display,  enabling  consumers  to  make 
informed decisions and promoting transparency in key contractual elements.  

Further feedback revealed a consensus among the representatives of key stakeholders on the 
main principles for the summary of key contractual conditions and the importance of clear, 
concise and user-friendly communication. Opinions, however, on the standardised templates 
and on how to provide and convey the key contractual information to consumers. The targeted 
consultation also pointed out some challenges such as energy literacy, hidden fees, and the role 
of intermediaries.   

Stakeholder  opinions  differing  opinions  on  how  to  provide  and  convey  contractual 
information. The guidance therefore recommends that all relevant stakeholders are involved 
during the process so that the contractual summary is well designed.    

Guidance on supplier risk management  

Key challenges highlighted by stakeholders during all consultative activities include divergent 
national  approaches,  the  need  to  balance  regulatory  oversight  with  market  functioning, 
concerns about liquidity in hedging markets, margin call risks and their impact on consumers, 
as  well  as  clarification  of  the  definitions  in  Article  18a  of  the  Electricity  Market  Design 
Directive  and  its  interaction  with  the  Regulation  on  wholesale  energy  market  integrity  and 
transparency and the European Market Infrastructure Regulation.   

Contributions consistently emphasised the importance of allowing energy suppliers the 
autonomy to maintain diverse hedging strategies, and of not stifling competition. Special 
consideration should be given to smaller entities such as energy communities, ensuring  that 
they  have  access  to  appropriate  hedging  mechanisms.  Proposed  solutions  focus  on 
implementing  a  risk-based  supplier  licensing  system  with  balanced  oversight,  where 
suppliers  undergo  thorough  financial  resilience  checks,  such  as  financial  certifications, 
stress tests, and business model evaluations, while retaining flexibility in hedging based on 
market conditions. It was highlighted that stress tests should be proportionate and periodic 
without imposing excessive administrative burdens. Market liquidity must be ensured before 
imposing  any  hedging  obligations,  with  transparent  criteria  to  avoid  market  distortions  or 
discouraging hedging activity.   

Other contributions highlighted that hedging is only one component of risk management. 
Additionally, it was requested that it should be underlined that the article is limited to power 
markets, excluding gas suppliers. A call for providing practical examples of ‘general rules’ 
subject  to  regulatory  review  would  increase  clarity,  while  sharing  best  practices  among 
regulators and using such exchanges as pedagogical tools for new entrants could strengthen the 
framework, foster healthy competition, and mitigate systemic risks. Accordingly, the guidance 
on  supplier  risk  management  aims  to  clarify  definitions,  to  further  explain  how  national 
regulatory authorities can employ hedging enforcement and to reflect on the use of stress tests 
and risk management in the broader perspective. 

Guidance on energy communities  

The  results  focused  on  prioritising  support  mechanisms  for  energy  communities,  with 
legislation, funding and capacity building being considered most critical, and awareness raising 

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as  an  important  crosscutting  theme.  Funding  was  highlighted  as  being  particularly  crucial, 
both  in  the  early  stages  of  energy  community  development  and  for  the  capital  expenditure 
grants  for  concrete  projects.  Suggestions  for  support  included  supporting  secondary 
structures  of  energy  communities  or  setting up  one-stop  shops  (OSSs),  including  social 
criteria  in  public  procurement,  putting  in  place  a  dedicated  guarantee  facility  for  energy 
communities, and supporting municipalities through awareness raising and capacity building, 
particularly on heating and cooling projects. Other topics highlighted include redirecting fossil 
fuel  subsidies  to  community  projects,  allowing  energy  communities  to  offer  flexibility  on 
relevant electricity markets and facilitating priority access to grids, reducing permitting times, 
and laying down rules on sharing the benefits of energy infrastructure projects.   

Further  feedback  included  the  intersection  of  energy  communities  with  wider  policy 
considerations  such  as  social  inclusion  metrics  (e.g.  tracking  vulnerable  households’ 
participation)  and  technology  integration  (e.g.  smart  meters,  digital  twins).  Cross-sectoral 
integration (e.g. linking energy with housing and rural development) and grid flexibility (e.g. 
dynamic tariffs, local flexibility markets) were also highlighted.   

Additional input emphasised the importance of support for heating and cooling projects, as 
well as the overall need to expand grid capacity and involve energy communities in the process. 
Overall,  quantitative  targets  for  renewable  capacity  and  qualitative  goals  for  citizen 
engagement  and  social  impact  were  both  seen  as  equally  important  indicators  of  energy 
communities’ contribution to the EU’s clean energy goals.  

Guidance on active consumers and energy sharing  

The contributions  highlighted that suppliers should have minimal involvement in energy 
sharing,  while  any  charges  imposed  must  be  evidence-based  and  cost-reflective.  They 
emphasised the need for transparent, clear, and easily navigable procedures that enable 
consumers to engage in and benefit from energy sharing, supported by third-party organisers 
to manage complexity and simple, accessible single points of contact for consumer assistance. 
Consumer protection should be proportionate and tailored to different energy-sharing 
models,  the  actors  involved  and  the  size  of  projects.  Ensuring  accessibility  for  groups  in 
situations  of  vulnerability  and  tenants  through  financial  support  and  balcony  solar 
technologies was also seen as important. At the same time, network tariffs should remain cost-
reflective and be designed to optimise and reward local grid usage and respond effectively to 
market and system signals.  

Social acceptance toolbox  

Public acceptance of renewable energy depends above all on whether citizens experience clear, 
tangible  benefits.  Many  comments  stressed  that  households  must  see  lower  bills,  improved 
comfort, and simple procedures if they are to support the transition. Complex subsidy schemes, 
delayed  disbursements,  or  hidden  conditions  undermine  trust.  To  address  affordability, 
respondents called for targeted financial measures such as social tariffs, revolving funds, stable 
subsidies, and in particular, rapid grant disbursement. A recurring theme was the demand for 
the  fair  sharing  of  benefits  with  local  communities.  While  some  stakeholders  advocated 
voluntary, flexible models, many argued that EU-level mandatory frameworks are needed to 
ensure fairness and consistency.  

Trust  also  depends  on  transparency  and  inclusive  participation.  Citizens  expect  open 
consultations,  accessible  advisory  services,  and  early  involvement  in  project  planning. 
Recognition of contributions and transparent use of revenues are seen as crucial for legitimacy. 
Infrastructure  and  regulatory  conditions  are  another  priority:  reliable  and  affordable  grid 

7 

 
 
access, faster permitting, fair network tariffs, and reform of energy taxation to stop favouring 
fossil fuels were all mentioned as enabling conditions.  

Inclusion  emerges  as  a  cross-cutting  concern.  Specific  measures  are  needed  to  make 
renewables  accessible  for  low-income  households,  tenants,  and  people  with  disabilities, 
ensuring  equity  across  different  social  groups.  Several  comments  highlighted  tensions: 
individual versus collective benefit distribution, voluntary versus mandatory frameworks, and 
renewable  versus  nuclear  pathways.  Despite  these  divides,  a  strong  message  emerged  that 
citizens want a fair, transparent, and empowering transition.  

Lastly, contributions indicated that clear, consistent communication of renewables as drivers 
of  lower  costs,  energy  security  and  local  prosperity,  combined  with  efforts  to  counter 
disinformation, are seen as decisive for long-term acceptance. Overall, public acceptance is not 
automatic. It must be earned through fairness, visibility of benefits, and building trust at both 
household and community level.  

Guidance on flexibility  

Flexibility and flexible supply retail contracts attracted strong engagement in the Citizens’ 
Energy Package consultation. Respondents broadly recognized the value of flexible systems, 
citing  benefits  for  the  integration  of  renewables,  grid  stability,  efficiency  and  lower  costs. 
Enabling  conditions  such  as  smart  meters,  incentives,  clear  regulatory  frameworks  and 
awareness-raising  measures  were  widely  supported,  though  not  always  seen  as  urgent 
priorities,  pointing  to  differences  in  emphasis  across  groups.  The  main  barriers  highlighted 
were gaps in smart metering and data access, uneven regulation across Member States, and the 
limited availability of dynamic or hybrid products. On consumer protection, transparency tools, 
including  clear  contracts,  comparison  instruments  and  data  access,  drew  broad  consensus, 
while more interventionist safeguards such as price caps or risk sharing exposed sharp divides. 
NGOs,  consumer  organisations  and  citizens  called  for  stronger  protections,  particularly  for 
vulnerable households, whereas business actors cautioned against blunt measures and favoured 
lighter,  targeted  approaches.  Public  authorities  often  took  the  middle  ground,  emphasising 
proportionality and systematic monitoring. Overall, the consultation confirmed a consensus on 
the enablers of flexibility but revealed divergence on the extent of consumer protections 
versus preserving market efficiency. Accordingly, the guidance on flexible retail contracts 
under the Citizens’ Energy Package reflects this balance, seeking to build trust and fairness 
for consumers while safeguarding effective price signals in retail markets.  

4. Identified campaigns and ad-hoc contributions  

No  campaigns  have  been  identified  in  the  context  of  the  open  public  consultation.  Several 
documents, position papers and late / ad-hoc replies were provided in association with the open 
public consultation. These were included as part of the evidence base for this work but not in 
the official statistics.  

5. European Citizens’ Panel on Energy Efficiency 

In spring 2024, the European Commission convened a European Citizens’ Panel on Energy 
Efficiency bringing together 150 randomly selected European citizens to discuss how energy 
is used in the EU and how the energy system may change in the future.  

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After  three  weekends  of  deliberations,  the  Citizens’  Panel  adopted  a  list  of  13 
recommendations1  to  feed  into  upcoming  EU  initiatives  on  different  aspects  of  energy 
efficiency and the transition towards renewable energy sources.  

The  Panel’s  recommendations  focussed  in  particular  on  empowering  consumers,  financing 
home  renovations,  and  promoting  education  and  job  training  in  energy  efficiency  sectors 
aiming  at  future  improvements  in  energy  use,  contributing  to  environmental  sustainability, 
economic resilience and social equity. 

1 Recommendations European Citizens’ Panel Energy Efficiency, se:  52a3608d-662c-4b0e-b463-
684a9dbef302_en 

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