C 184/94
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
25.5.2023
ensuring a regulatory framework that effectively incentivises investment in the digitalisation of electricity grids.
In parallel, flexibility markets need to be developed to make flexible consumption, generation and prosumption based on digital technologies attractive.
1.5.
More than six years after the presentation of the Clean Energy Package, both energy communities and collective self-consumption still play a minor role in Europe’s energy systems.
The European Commission has so far ignored the existence of barriers to these forms of energy generation and consumption.
Europeans must be given incentives that eventually convince and motivate them to digitalise all their energy-related activities.
In many cases a clear legal and administrative entitlement is needed as well.
The EESC calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop corresponding initiatives, including direct support enabling energy communities and collective prosumers to develop their full potential, whereby, especially in terms of security of supply, these forms of generation and consumption must become a crucial part of the system.
Otherwise, digital tools will not make a difference.
1.6.
The EESC reiterates that, with the right approach, a climate-neutral, decentralised and digitalised energy supply structure can have significant positive effects on employment and the economy, especially regional economies (2).
In the current crisis, the European Union needs a general approach to energy policy that combines specific energy and climate-related issues with the objectives of social and regional cohesion policy.
1.7.
However, the EESC notes that a policy of change can only be successful if it takes into account the various social dynamics at work in the transition and addresses them in its strategies and measures.
We should strengthen the role of active consumers in digitalisation and should encourage and entitle them to use as many smart solutions as possible, as they can improve the efficiency and performance of the internal energy market, while taking into account distribution system operators to ensure security of supply.
The tools must be user-friendly and attention must be paid to vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.
A policy for a just transition and active political management of change is therefore indispensable.
If the social dimension is neglected in the implementation, the transformation risks failing due to public resistance.
1.8.
With regard to the future design of energy systems and infrastructure, the EESC has repeatedly stressed that all consumers must be actively involved in the development of smart energy systems and that incentives must be put in place so that civil society can participate in the energy transition.
‘Connecting local and regional innovators’, as mentioned by the Commission in point 7.3, is very important.
Collective action like cooperation between smart cities and communities can create the best and most affordable solutions that a region may need.
1.9.
The EU’s digital and energy policies are already guiding the digitalisation of energy, as issues such as data interoperability, security of supply and cybersecurity, privacy and consumer protection cannot be left to the market alone and their proper implementation is key.
In this context, the EESC points out that privacy violations and misuse of data must be prevented by all means.
This includes not only technical precautions, but also responsibility over and monitoring of this data space by state authorities subject to political and democratic control.
At the same time, particular attention must be paid to protecting critical infrastructure data.
1.10.
The Commission states in its communication that it is essential to ensure that digitalisation does not undermine the framework for consumer protection already established in the internal market in electricity.
The EESC takes note of this and adds that consumer rights must be adapted and improved in the energy market.
Consumers must not be disadvantaged or overcharged.
They should benefit from digital tools, which, if rightly developed, can help increase consumer protection.
1.11.
For all initiatives, it is important that consumers have a smart meter at home.
This is still not the case in many Member States, which is why there is an urgent need to step up efforts to more widely deploy smart metering as a fundamental prerequisite for most digital solutions in the energy sector, especially for electricity supply and, to a lesser degree, for gas supply.
Member States who have not yet fully rolled out smart meters need to speed this up and increase their national objectives with regard to this rollout.
International evidence shows that smart meter rollouts are most effective when the grid operators are accountable.
Smart meters should be considered as an integral part of the electricity grid.
(2)
See OJ C 367, 10.10.2018, p. 1.