President of the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) George Niculescu was appointed on Wednesday as Vice-Chair of the Board of Regulators within the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER).

According to an ANRE release, the appointment was made, by consensus, at the 134th meeting of the ACER Board of Regulators in Copenhagen and the ACER term of office of the new Vice Chair takes effect immediately, from 17 September 2025, for a two-and-a-half year mandate (which is renewable).

The Board of Regulators is responsible for energy regulatory policy at the European level. Thus, Romania has, for the first time, the opportunity to participate directly and actively in shaping the EU's energy policy, the quoted source mentioned.

In the same meeting, Emmanuelle Wargon was appointed Chair of the ACER Board of Regulators and Volker Zuleger was appointed Director ad interim of the ACER. At national level, Ms Wargon is Chair of the 'Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (CRE)', the French energy regulatory authority, since August 2022, while George Niculescu is President of the ANRE, the Romanian energy regulatory authority, since April 2023.

'This appointment is an opportunity: to turn pressure into predictability. I aim to work at the European level with a clear framework - PACT: Predictability, Fair Implementation, Coherence in Regulation and Transparency. Integrating flexibility (storage, demand-response), coherent rules for cross-border capacities, boosting the competitiveness of European economies and consumer trust, as well as clear rules in the energy market - these are my priorities. The context in which the energy sector operates remains complicated. Disinformation campaigns and propaganda related to energy are entering our public agenda with alarming efficiency. The goal of these narratives is not to offer alternative solutions, but to undermine confidence in our institutions,' George Niculescu stated.

In this context, the head of the ANRE believes the regulatory environment must include cybersecurity preparedness protocols, public communication strategies and information-sharing in collaboration with other institutions. 'The European energy sector, like Romania's, is running a marathon, not a sprint, which is why we need long-term, adequate regulations, not short-sighted, short-term visions,' he added.

The Board of Regulators (BoR) plays a key role within the Agency and represents the national energy regulatory authorities of the Member States. It is in charge of the regulatory policy and provides opinions on various Agency Acts considered for adoption and issues guidance to the Director.

The Board of Regulators consists of senior representatives of the 27 National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) of Member States and non-voting representatives from EEA EFTA States, the European Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

The Board of Regulators must act independently and must not take instructions from any government of a Member State, from the European Commission, or from another public or private entity.

The ANRE is the Romanian institution responsible for developing and enforcing the regulatory framework in the energy sector, consumer protection and oversight of the electricity and natural gas markets.

The European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) supports the integration of energy markets in the EU and coordinates the activities of national authorities. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Andreea Marinescu; EN - writing by: Rodica State)