ICER
The International Confederation of Energy Regulators (ICER) is a voluntary framework for cooperation between energy regulators from around the globe. Its aim is to improve public and policy-maker awareness and understanding of energy regulation and its role in addressing a wide spectrum of socio-economic, environmental, and market issues.
ICER was officially established on 19 October 2009 as part of the World Forum on Energy Regulation IV (WFER IV). That edition of the Forum was held in Athens, Greece and hosted by the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) and supported by CEER.
At the time of its establishment, the ICER founders were 11 national and regional energy regulatory associations:
- AFUR: African Forum for Utility Regulators
- ARIAE: Ibero-American Association of Energy Regulatory Entities
- CAMPUT: Canadian Association of Members of Public Utility Tribunals (Today Canada’s Energy and Utility Regulators)
- CEER: Council of European Energy Regulators
- EAPIRF: East Asia and Pacific Infrastructure Regulatory Forum
- ERRA: Energy Regulators Regional Association
- MEDREG: Mediterranean Gas and Energy Regulators Assembly (today the Association of Mediterranean Energy Regulators)
- NARUC: National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
- OOCUR: Organization of Caribbean Utility Regulators
- RERA: Regional Electricity Regulators Association
- SAFIR: South Asian Forum for Infrastructure Regulation. Additionally, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) joined ICER as a new member between 2009 and 2012
Up to now, ICER has focused its work around four key areas: reliability and security of supply; the role of regulators in responding to climate change; competitiveness and affordability; and the independence, powers, responsibilities, best practices and training of regulators.
WORLD FORUM ON ENERGY REGULATION
The World Forum on Energy Regulation (hereinafter WFER) was created in 2000 as a cooperative effort by the world’s main energy regulatory associations. Since then, the WFER – held only once every three years – has established itself as the leading international conference on energy regulation. Within this platform, key energy industry players, high-level policymakers, academics, and regulators from all over the world gather to engage in strategic and meaningful conversations on the current issues of the energy sector. The first WFER (2000) was held in Montreal, Canada.
OECD
The OECD Network of Economic Regulators (NER) promotes dialogue between over 70 regulators from across the world that operate in different sectors like communications, energy, transport and water. NER members share their experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions.
A number of NER delegates are designated to serve on the “NER Bureau” that provides more detailed direction to the OECD Secretariat on issues of management and the planning of the Programme of Work of the Network. Bureau members contribute to the planning of each NER meeting by the Secretariat and take part in consultations on ongoing work.
The Czech Republic joined OECD on 21 December 1995 as its 26th member. The Czech Republic joined OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in 1996; NEA was established in 1958. The Czech Republic was then invited to accede to the Agreement on an International Energy Program in 1999 and, following constitutional and legal debate on this, actually did so on 25 February 2001 through Act No 46/2001.
