The National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) applied, during this year, contravening fines amounting to 1,545 million lei, due to the non-observance of the legal provisions regarding the change of the supplier and the use of incorrect commercial practices, the data of the regulator shows, published Wednesday.

“One of the main objectives of ANRE is to increase competition in the retail market by increasing the degree of customer involvement in changing the supplier. In order to increase the awareness of the suppliers, the importance of changing the supplier in the process of developing the retail market and stopping of any incorrect / illegal practices, ANRE invited the electricity and natural gas suppliers to the meeting of the Regulatory Committee on November 20, 2019. During the meeting, the suppliers were presented with the aspects instrumented by ANRE during 2019, the measures taken, the regulatory framework, the good practices, as well as the prospects of the supplier change process which, starting in 2026, should not last more than 24 hours and should be possible on any working day, in accordance with the provisions of Directive (EU) 2019/ 944 of the European Parliament and of the Council from June 5, 2019 on the common rules for the internal market of electricity,” it is stated in a press release of ANRE, according to Agerpres.

According to the Authority, during 2019, there has been a significant increase in customer complaints regarding suppliers’ failure to comply with the legal provisions regarding the change of supplier and the use of incorrect commercial practices.