ESMIG welcomes the adoption of the “AccelerateEU” initiative by the European Commission, aimed at addressing Europe’s energy price crisis while accelerating the clean energy transition and strengthening energy independence.
The Communication sends a strong signal on the importance of digitalisation and smart energy systems and recognises that smart meters empower consumers to lower their energy bills and respond to price signals by adjusting their demand.
A particularly important development is the Commission’s call for Member States to deploy smart meters to cover at least 50% of final consumers by 2031.
Why does this matter?
This is the first time in over a decade that the Commission has introduced a concrete target for smart metering. While this falls short of the level of ambition advocated by ESMIG – notably our call for 80% rollout by 2030 in our 2024 Manifesto – it is nevertheless a positive step in the right direction.
It also acknowledges a fundamental reality: without smart meters, without the foundational digital infrastructure, the energy transition will not happen at scale. From EV charging and heat pumps to rooftop solar and energy sharing, consumer participation and system flexibility depend on smart, data-driven solutions.
Smart metering is therefore essential to enable consumers to actively manage their energy use and control their bills, while supporting a more efficient, resilient, and affordable energy system.
We look forward to engaging with policymakers to ensure these proposals are translated into effective measures that fully unlock the potential of smart energy solutions.