Minister of State for Energy Affairs Pál Kovács is to be involved with new responsibilities affecting EU energy markets in his position of alternate member of the Administrative Board of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). Based on a decision of the Council of the European Union, the four-year mandate of the Minister of State is to begin as from 28 January, 2014.

The Council of the European Union decided on the appointment of two members and three alternate members of the Administrative Board of ACER on 15 November, 2013. The two other officials appointed alternate members of the board alongside Pál Kovács are Romas Svedas (Lithuania) and former member of the board Detlef Dauke (Germany). The two new members of the Council from the beginning of next year are Guy Lentz (Luxemburg) and Jochen Penker (Austria).

Pál Kovács considers the appointment a great honour. “The appointment into this function of responsibility is also an acknowledgement for the efficient efforts Hungary has made for the connection of regional and EU energy markets”, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs opined. “The achievements attained by Hungary in energy regulations so far are appreciated by the EU. By filling the position of alternate member in the Administrative Board of ACER, Hungary will continue to have the opportunity, beyond direct commenting, to actively participate in the joint solution of issues related to energy regulation at the EU level”, he said.

The Ljubljana-based EU agency assists the implementation of the duties of national energy regulatory authorities, coordinating, in case of need, their activities with a view to establish a competitive, sustainable, safe and transparent internal energy market. ACER, responsible for working out common rules and joint initiatives, reviewing targeting the energy infrastructure and supervising the energy market, was set up in accordance with the regulations and directives of the Third Energy Package that entered into force in 2011. For further information on the agency, visit: http://www.acer.europa.eu/Media/Leaflets/ACER_A5_HU.pdf

The five members and five alternate members of the Administrative Board of ACER were appointed by the Council still in 2009. The four-year term of office of two members (Detlef Dauke (Germany) and Phillip Guillard (France)) and two alternate members (Péter Gordos (Hungary) and Maya Hristova (Bulgaria)) is to expire on 27 January, 2014. This April, William Ricket (England) resigned from his six-year mandate, whereby the need arose to decide on new appointments for the vacancies. To replace the resigned alternate member with a six-year mandate, the Council could only appoint a new alternate member with a four-year mandate. The mandate of the three members and two alternate members of ACER in office since 2009 is to expire in January 2016.

The appointment of the new members of ACER is governed by Decision 15466/2013 of the Council of the European Union.

(Ministry of National Development, Communications Department)