Retail market reforms and consumer protection
For information on other courses and opportunities at the FSR, please contact fsr.secretariat@eui.eu.
This course focuses on some of the most complex aspects of retail energy markets and the protection and empowerment of consumers in these markets. Rather than providing a comprehensive treatment of all aspects of retail energy markets, it concentrates on the most critical dimensions to ensure that electricity consumers benefit from market liberalisation. In this respect, the course assesses how the current provisions in both horizontal and sector-specific legislation guarantees sufficient rights and protection for consumers in the liberalised retail electricity market.
The course is structured in four parts. The first module introduces the Energy Consumer Journey (ECJ) as the analytical framework for assessing the compatibility of consumer protection and engagement before, during, and after service performance. The other three modules apply the ECJ to expand the assessment of traditional energy supply, and other on innovative energy-related services that are emerging with the digitalisation of the energy sector, including energy sharing and energy communities. They assess the extent to which current provisions on consumer protection are fit for new offers and services, and how regulation might adapt to fill any emerging protection gaps. A deep-dive into case examples of commercial practices, dynamic prices, consumers’ data protection, billing, switching, and terminations provides practical applications of the main concepts developed during the course to specific real-life situations.
In collaboration with:
Through this course we provide answers to the following questions:
- What is the Energy Consumer Journey and how can we use it as an analytical tool to assess the degree of consumer protection and engagement of new offers and services?
- To what extent are consumers benefiting from retail energy market liberalisation ?
- Which innovative offers and energy-related services do we expect consumers to be offered, also taking advantage of the digitalisation of the energy sector?
- Which legislative and regulatory measures might improve consumer protection, especially vis-à-vis innovative energy-related services?
The course follows a blended learning approach, combining online preparatory sessions with residential training and a final online module to consolidate learning outcomes and reflect on key insights.
For this course, there will be two cohorts of participants. While both cohorts will complete the identical curriculum across the three days, the sequence of modules will be staggered by group.
- 18 January 2027, 10:00 – 11:00 | Online
Welcome and introduction - 22 January 2027, 10:30 – 15:30 | Online
Live sessions - 2-4 February 2027| In-person
Residential module in Brussels - 15 February 2027, 10:00 – 12:00 | Online
Closing module
After completing this course, you’ll be able to:
- Evaluate the extent to which the current consumer protection framework in your jurisdiction provides sufficient coverage for consumers fully to benefit from the liberalisation of the retail energy market in the traditional energy supply and innovative energy-related services;
- Assess the extent to which further measures are necessary to fill any current consumer protection gaps or prepare the consumer protection framework for the emergence on innovative energy-related services offered to consumers.
This course is designed for professionals involved in the implementation of EU electricity legislation and reforms. It is tailored to participants who contribute to policy design, regulatory decision-making, or the practical implementation of energy sector reforms at national level. Participation is reserved for members of the Energy Regulation Academy (EnRA) only.
The training is intended for:
- Professionals working directly on electricity regulation and energy policy within their organisations
- Representatives from national regulatory authorities, ministries, and public institutions
- Experts and practitioners involved in advancing regulatory reforms across Member States
The course is open to participants with relevant professional experience in the field.
The training is delivered in English. Please note that only a limited number of participants will be admitted to ensure a high-quality learning experience.
The course activities combine a range of interactive and self-paced learning components:
- Live online sessions, including an intake module, live classes, and a final closing session
- Residential training in Brussels, focusing on applied learning, peer exchange, and case-based discussions
- Learning Management System (LMS): Participants will also be able to engage with peers and experts through the Academy’s learning management system, which will support discussion, knowledge exchange, and continued collaboration after the residential training.
- Self-paced activities: Readings, video lectures, forum discussions to reinforce key learning outcomes
- Self-assessment quizzes: designed to help participants assess their understanding of key concepts and support the Academy’s learning and evaluation framework.
- A final knowledge consolidation activity bringing together key insights and participant contributions developed throughout the course
Participants attending the training course will be awarded a Certificate of Participation.
We have created a dedicated webpage where you can find all the practical and logistical information you need to prepare for your participation.
Please note that any updates will be published on this webpage, which should be considered your official reference for course logistics.
On this page, you will find guidance on:
- Getting to Brussels and the training venue
- Hotel suggestions
- Reimbursement guidelines
- Cancellation policy
- Contact details
We encourage you to review this information carefully to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
