Commission Decision (EU) 2022/589 of 6 April 2022 establishing the composition and the operational provisions of setting up the Commission Energy Poverty and Vulnerable Consumers Coordination Group

• CELEX: Decision (EU) 2022/589
• Articles: 11

Article 1 Subject matter

The Energy Poverty and Vulnerable Consumers Coordination Group (‘the Group’), is set up.

Article 2 Tasks of the Group

1.   The Group’s tasks shall be:

(a)

to serve as the main platform for the exchange of information and coordination between the Commission and Member States on questions relating to the design and implementation of Union legislation, programmes and policies addressing financially weak households or those affected by energy poverty and vulnerable consumers, including in the context of affordability of energy, targeted renovation and energy efficiency measures and financing schemes at national level;

(b)

to provide a forum for exchanging experiences, best practices and expertise in addressing vulnerable consumers and financially weak households or those affected by energy poverty, including at regional and local levels

(c)

to assist the Commission and the Member States in designing policy initiatives, in particular in relation to their National Energy and Climate Plans, Integrated National Energy and Climate Progress Reports and related strategies.

2.   The Group shall, in particular:

(a)

exchange information on decisions regarding measures to support and empower vulnerable consumers and financially weak households or those affected by energy poverty and address energy affordability in their national context and in the broader frame of the clean energy transition, at any level of government (national, regional and local);

(b)

discuss specific issues on vulnerable consumers and financially weak households or those affected by energy poverty with a view to come to identify appropriate actions and coordinated solutions in line with the Union law;

(c)

review the regular outlooks and reports prepared by the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub and the Commission, in particular addressing, measuring and monitoring progress on root causes and solutions, including relevant socioeconomic analysis;

(d)

improve the quality and range of available data and statistical indicators, including harmonised Union data collection, paying due regard to national specificities, to ensure that approaches to supporting and empowering energy poor and vulnerable consumers are based on an informed and up-to-date understanding of the key issues at play and relevant dimensions, as well their spatial and temporal variations, in close cooperation with the Social Protection Committee (and its Indicators Sub-group) and ESTAT.

(e)

promote the exchange of information, prevention and coordinated action in case of an emergency within the Union.

Article 3 Consultation

The Commission may consult the Group on any matter relating to energy poverty and vulnerable consumers.

Article 4 Membership

1.   The Group shall be composed of authorities from all Member States.

2.   Member States’ authorities, in particular Ministries competent for energy, shall nominate their representatives and shall be responsible for ensuring that their representatives provide a high level of expertise in relation to the work to be performed and depending on the internal arrangements of the Member State.

3.   Each of the Member States shall nominate not more than two permanent representatives and two alternate representatives to participate in the work of the Group at the right level of decision-making.

4.   Alternate representatives shall be appointed in accordance with the same conditions as members set out under point 2 above; alternate representatives automatically replace members who are absent or indisposed.

5.   The Commission may refuse the nomination of a representative if they consider the nomination inappropriate in the light of the requirements specified under point 2 above. In such case, the Member States concerned shall be asked to appoint another representative. Each member of the Group shall ensure that its membership status is up-to-date.

6.   Members’ personal data shall be collected, processed and published in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679  ( 11 ) or (EU) 2018/1725  ( 12 ) of the European Parliament and of the Council, as applicable.

7.   Members shall remain in office until the end of their term of office or until replaced. Their term of office may be renewed.

Article 5 Operation

1.   The Group shall be chaired by a representative of DG ENER.

2.   The Chair shall convene the Group on a regular basis and shall share with the Group information received from its members whilst preserving the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information.

3.   Meetings of the Group shall be held online or at the Commission premises.

4.   DG ENER shall provide secretarial services. Commission officials from relevant departments may attend meetings of the Group.

5.   DG ENER shall make all relevant work documents available to the Group members via a collaborative workplace. In addition, the Commission shall publish all relevant documents either by including them in the Register or via a link from the Register to a dedicated website. DG ENER shall publish the agenda and other relevant background documents in due time ahead of the meetings. Exceptions to systematic publication should be foreseen where disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001.

6.   Minutes shall be drafted by the secretariat under the responsibility of the Chair and be provided shortly after the meeting.

7.   As far as possible, the Group shall adopt its opinions, recommendations or reports by consensus. In the event of a vote, the outcome of the vote shall be decided by simple majority of the members. Members who have voted against or abstained shall have the right to have a document summarising the reasons for their position annexed to the opinions, recommendations or reports.

Article 6 Sub-groups

DG ENER may set up sub-groups for the purpose of examining specific questions on the basis of terms of reference defined by the Group. Sub-groups shall operate in compliance with the horizontal rules on the creation and operation of Commission expert groups  ( 13 ) and shall report to the Group. They shall be dissolved as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

Article 7 External experts

DG ENER may invite experts from outside the Group with specific expertise in a subject on the agenda to take part in the work of the Group or sub-groups on an ad hoc basis.

Article 8 Observers

1.   Individuals,organisations,public entities registered in the transparency register, such as consumer, social partner organisations and civil society representatives, may be granted an observer status, by direct invitation.

2.   Observers and their representatives may be permitted by the Chair to take part in the discussions of the Group and provide expertise. However, they shall not have voting rights.

Article 9 Rules of Procedure

On a proposal by and in agreement with the Commission, the Group shall adopt its rules of procedure by simple majority of its members, in compliance with the horizontal rules  ( 14 ) .

Article 10 Professional secrecy and handling of classified information

The members of the Group and their representatives, as well as invited experts and observers, are subject to the obligation of professional secrecy, which by virtue of the Treaties and the rules implementing them applies to all members of the institutions and their staff, as well as to the Commission’s rules on security regarding the protection of Union classified information, laid down in Commission Decisions (EU, Euratom) 2015/443  ( 15 ) and (EU, Euratom) 2015/444  ( 16 ) . Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.

Article 11 Meeting expenses

1.   Participants in the activities of the Group and sub-groups shall not be remunerated for the services they offer.

2.   Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the Group and sub-groups shall be reimbursed by the Commission.

Reimbursement shall be made in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission and within the limits of the available appropriations allocated to the Commission departments under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.