Source - Citizens Energy Package COM(2026)115

Reference: COM/2026/115 final (Communication from the Commission) Companion: SWD(2026)115 final (consultation synopsis, fully read); SWD(2026)126 not reviewed Date: 10 March 2026 (Strasbourg) Authors: European Commission Raw files: Raw/Clippings/EUR-Lex - 52026DC0115 - EN.md (284K tokens — key sections read via grep); Raw/Clippings/EUR-Lex - 52026SC0115 - EN.md (consultation synopsis, fully read) Pages: Large (not fully read; key sections extracted)

Summary

The Citizens’ Energy Package is a Commission Communication that lowers barriers for citizens to participate in the energy transition as active producers and consumers. It sits under the Affordable Energy Action Plan (COM(2025)79) and the Clean Industrial Deal. The legal backbone is already in place through the 2019 Clean Energy Package; the Communication focuses on closing implementation gaps.

Nine actions across three pillars:

Pillar I — Lowering energy bills

1. Lower taxes and levies on household electricity to the EU minimum
2. Lower network costs for local consumers
3. Boost clean and energy-efficient technology uptake
4. Empower consumers to find the cheapest offer and switch quickly

Pillar II — Protecting and empowering consumers 5. Boost energy self-production and energy sharing among citizens 6. Promote flexibility through retail contracts 7. Strengthen consumer trust

Pillar III — Tackling energy poverty and vulnerability 8. Join forces to reduce energy poverty 9. Protect vulnerable citizens from disconnections

Key claims

Action 5 — Energy self-production and energy sharing

• Over 8,000 energy communities currently active in Europe — large untapped potential
• By 2030: potential for 16 million households and 630,000 SMEs to produce their own renewable energy
• Potential to increase EC installed renewable capacity by up to tenfold by 2030 — producing renewable power for 25–30 million households
• Savings: EUR 260–550/year for individual households with solar; EUR 440–930/year for communities with wind+solar mix
• Commission deliverables: energy communities action plan (see Source - Commission Recommendation C(2026)2850 Energy Communities); Implementing Regulation on data interoperability for energy sharing (2027); practical step-by-step guides (2026–2027)

Action 6 — Flexible retail contracts

• Consumers with flexible retail contracts can reduce bills by up to 40% by shifting demand to low-price periods
• Potential EUR 2.7 billion/year in EU-wide system savings by 2030
• Commission deliverables: guidance on flexibility remuneration in retail contracts (Q1 2026); same Implementing Regulation on data interoperability (2027); flexibility promotion under Partnerships for Better Homes (2026)

SWD(2026)115 — Consultation synopsis

• The SWD documents the stakeholder consultation process that fed into the package
• Confirms broad support from energy associations, consumer groups, and national authorities
• No substantive new policy claims; background document for the Communication only

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