CEER has at least two lives – Jorge Vasconcelos and FSR at CEER Annual Conference 2025
CEER and FSR founder, Jorge Vasconcelos reflects on the past and future of energy regulation in Europe
Established in 2003, thanks to the activism and cooperation of a group of European Energy Regulators, the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) is a platform for cooperation, information exchange and assistance between Europe’s national energy regulators to facilitate the creation of a single, competitive, efficient and sustainable internal energy market in Europe. Watch more
Highlights from the CEER Annual Conference 2025
On 25 June 2025 in Brussels, the CEER Annual Conference 2025 brought together high-level speakers and stakeholders from across the energy sector to address key regulatory strategies and sector developments. Held under the theme “Regulatory Strategies for Consumer Empowerment, System Integration, and Market Efficiency,” the event explored some of the most pressing energy challenges and opportunities in Europe.
In this frame, the co-founder and first chairman of CEER, Jorge Vasconcelos, who is also one of the founders of the FSR, was invited to give the concluding keynote speech.
A building has at least two lives – the one imagined by its maker and the life it lives afterwards – and they are never the same. Rem Koolhaas
In his talk, Jorge drew on the words of one of the greatest architects of our time, Rem Koolhaas to celebrate the evolution of CEER in 25 years and the ‘Europe’s energy regulatory family’, which continues to ‘grow and thrive’.
The history of CEER: looking back to look forward
Jorge’s keynote looked back at the history of CEER. It all started with a clear vision: first, the idea that energy regulators could only contribute effectively to the development of the internal energy markets through very close cooperation among regulators, as national and European duties are intertwined. And – secondly, the belief that by actively supporting the development of the internal energy market, regulators were also helping to build a better Europe.
CEER was born out of a shared vision and strong activism—a belief that regulatory collaboration is a cornerstone of progress. Today, that vision remains more relevant than ever.
Jorge concluded by underlining the importance of system integration and the need for transitional regulation—a flexible, forward-looking regulatory framework that supports innovation and accelerates the path toward carbon neutrality.
CEER and FSR
The establishment of CEER inspired similar voluntary developments in other network industries in Europe and worldwide. It also drove the creation (by Jorge Vasconcelos, Ignacio Perez-Arriaga and Pippo Ranci) of the Florence School of Regulation in 2004, which remains one of the leading centres for training and research on regulatory matters, maintaining close ties with CEER: the FSR Director, Leonardo Meeus and Part-time Prof Catharina Sikow-Magny also joined the CEER conference in Brussels to moderate two sessions.
Last year, the FSR celebrated its 20th anniversary, and on this occasion, we had the opportunity to reflect, together with Jorge, on its enduring legacy and its continued commitment to advancing regulation and, through it, contributing to a better Europe.
