24 February 2021

This report presents the situation of vulnerable consumers among MEDREG members, providing an overview of the situation across MEDREG members states as it regards the treatment of vulnerable consumers. The state of play has been presented through an analysis of the types of support and models applied for the protection of vulnerable consumers, which includes understanding and definition of vulnerable consumers, specific support schemes from energy and/or social welfare system, types of support and coverage of costs as well as examples of best practices. The analysis of the situation is based on the contribution provided by MEDREG members through filled questionnaires. Recommendations aiming to improve the situation of vulnerable consumers and their protection are provided, with the objective of guiding MEDREG members on taking feasible, sustainable and adequately responsive measures, according to the economic and social situation of their country.

24 February 2021

In the latest years, MEDREG developed a framework to support regulatory reforms in its countries of operation and assist its members towards attaining the required level of development in their energy regulatory frameworks. In this context, the Action Plan for the Consumer Working Group foresaw an opportunity to carry out a peer review assessment for the Jordanian energy regulator EMRC, focusing on the current status of the consumers’ quality of services and the regulatory and legislative acts in place in Jordan. As a first step, the MEDREG Secretariat in coordination with EMRC has defined the expected content and outcomes of the peer review exercise. This report considers the applicability to not only Jordan – which is the principal focus of this study – but also the wider MEDREG region countries.

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January 2020

It provides the state of play of the complaint handling and dispute settlement procedures available to household customers in the energy market in the Mediterranean and Balkan regions. It shares the best practices and offers recommendations for the implementation of minimum criteria to guarantee household consumers access to justice.

December 2019

This report provides a picture of power losses among MEDREG members.
It gives an overview of the situation of MEDREG members with regard to power losses, through an analysis of the factors affecting power losses.
Furthermore, this report provides recommendations on reducing power losses from the perspective of not only energy efficiency but also consumer protection, aiming to guide MEDREG members in taking doable measures, according to the economic and social situations of their respective countries. Some of them already have a plan of activities aimed at power loss minimisation, which are even marked by targets.

January 2019

This report presents the impact that the disconnection procedures currently applied have on consumers in MEDREG countries. The collection of data helps to analyze the status of consumers’ protection in each country, facilitates the understanding of common practices carried out in the Mediterranean region and identifies potential regulatory gaps that should be tackled to enhance the role of regulators in their respective countries.
As a result, the report represents a potential starting point for the preparation of recommendations at regional and national level in the field of disconnection practices.

November 2018

MEDREG and ECRB put their resources in common to review the procedures available to energy consumers to handle complaint and settle disputes and share best practices.
This report maps out the current status and nature of complaint handling, dispute settlement and consumer awareness in the Eastern Europe and Mediterranean countries.  It is accompanied by recommendations applicable to disputes between consumers and their providers.
Based on a survey answered by 19 members from MEDREG and ECRB, the report shows that regardless of the level of customers’ protection, consumers’ protection is gaining a growing interest.

October 2017

This report aims at supporting and encouraging MEDREG Members to improve consumer engagement within the regulatory process. It provides qualitative information on concrete examples of consumer’s engagement practices, looking beyond the role of Consumers Associations.
MEDREG members selected a number of case studies worthy to be considered as successful examples. Starting from the most relevant and interesting issues raised in the “Survey on Consumers Associations”, the report describes the methodology put in place to collect, through a detailed questionnaire, examples which MEDREG members considered as valuable to be shared. 
Regulators provided the main features of their consumer engagement policy such as objectives, strengths and challenges, impacted stages of the regulatory processes, methods to involve consumers, resources and resulting feedback.
Such information has been used to develop guidelines to provide guidance and inspiration for MEDREG members wishing to improve the involvement of consumers and their associations in their decision making process.

18 July 2016

Mediterranean Energy Regulators have clear responsibilities with regard to consumer protection, which is part of their core regulatory mission. Assessing the definition and support measures for energy consumers is also one of the the MEDREG Strategy 2020-2030 goals, which is supported by all energy regulators in the Mediterranean. MEDREG collected information on the role and activities of existing consumer associations (CAs) in the Mediterranean that are dealing with energy issues, focusing on how regulators interact with CAs in taking their decisions at national level. The report highlights that there is growing interest to involve CAs in the decision making process through tools such as public hearings and consultations procedures, data and opinion collection. At the same time, regulators seem to consider Consumers Associations as extremely useful to support more consistent consumer awareness concerning their rights and the promotion of fair prices and better service quality.

July 2016

Energy consumers should have a central role in energy retail markets and it is therefore vital that consumer associations, local authorities, regulators, ombudsmen, industry and other key stakeholders work hand-in-hand with regulators to study the behavior and condition of different consumer categories. The MEDREG CUS WG focused its attention on vulnerable consumers, identifying a common set of characteristics that this category of consumers displays in the Mediterranean area. 15 regulators provided information on their national initiatives to support vulnerable consumers and improve their condition. Through this report the CUS WG identified best practices to deal with vulnerable consumers that could be implemented n other Mediterranean countries.

June 2015

The Consumers Issues Working Group (CUS WG) prepared a brochure on Consumers rights for the Mediterranean countries. The aim of this brochure is to help consumers in identifying their rights. The document is conceived as an introductory tool providing consumers with adequate information on their rights as energy consumers. It contains useful information concerning: Consumers rights (as defined in Members primary legislation), Transparent contract information, Basic information on how to satisfy their needs using energy more efficiently, Basic information on energy tariffs and bills, Complaint and dispute resolution procedures.

June 2014

Based on previous surveys, the CUS TF decided to enlarge the scope of the work done, and to elaborate a Good Practice Guidance for customers education and information, including billing, also defining stronger and stricter recommendations. This Good Practice Guidance aims at setting principles and recommendations that could become part of national action plans. Furthermore, recommendations in this document may be used as useful inputs to the future work of Governments and Regulatory Authorities in the field of customer information and customer knowledge under the energy retail market framework. Finally, these recommendations could be taken as a reference to address some specific challenges concerning the implementation of national energy market rules.

June 2013

This report is focused on energy billing methodologies that are currently applied in MEDREG countries. We researched the billing structure concerning electricity and gas households consumers. The scope of the survey was to assess the level of detail and completeness reached by bills in MEDREG countries, and subsequently identify and discuss the criticalities and good strategies which characterize the Mediterranean reasons, issuing targeted recommendations.

November 2013

This survey investigates the status quo of consumer education and information in MEDREG countries, with reference to household consumers only. It concerns both electricity and gas. The report was based on overall questionnaire was filled by 16 national regulatory authorities. The report on energy information and education concerns customer protection, customer information, channels and tools of information, the promotion of customer information, and price comparison services.

June 2013

This report is focused on energy billing methodologies that are currently applied in MEDREG countries. We researched the billing structure concerning electricity and gas households consumers. The scope of the survey was to assess the level of detail and completeness reached by bills in MEDREG countries, and subsequently identify and discuss the criticalities and good strategies which characterize the Mediterranean reasons, issuing targeted recommendations.

June 2011

This document is an updated of the report presented to the General Assembly. It was developed on the basis of 14 questionnaires filled in up to now by the following countries: Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Italy, Israel, Jordan, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. It identifies the minimum criteria considered as necessary to ensure consumer protection in the field of electricity and gas and that could be shared and implemented throughout the Mediterranean region.

October 2010

A Task Force on consumer issues was set up in 2008 by MEDREG INS Ad Hoc Group in order to present a clear picture of the situation of Consumer protection in the Mediterranean region (rights and obligations, especially towards vulnerable customers). Representatives of CREG (Algeria) have been appointed as Task Force leader, and entrusted to elaborate a questionnaire and draft a report in close coordination with HERA (Croatia) as well as with CRE (France) as Chair of the INS Ad Hoc Group.