The EU is making energy fairer and cleaner and empowering its citizens to take active part in the clean energy transition. In a time of geopolitical tensions, knowing your rights helps you save money, avoid surprises and make choices that fit your life.
Discover your rights, learn how to manage your energy and take action for a lighter bill!
Your energy rights
Did you know that all EU citizens enjoy specific energy-related rights and protections, defined at EU level, and set out in national law?
What your supplier must tell you, and what to check on your bill
Your bill is more than the electricity you use. It bundles three things: what your supplier charges for the energy itself (just under half of a typical European bill), the network charges for delivering it to your home, and the taxes and levies set by your government.
You have the right to clear, transparent information — so your bill should also tell you things like your supplier's energy mix and how your usage compares to last year.
How to spot fair terms before you sign
Energy contracts can feel overwhelming, and the details that matter most are often buried in the small print. Before you commit, you have the right to clear, fair conditions: a price or pricing method you can understand, the contract's duration, any early-exit fees, and what happens when it ends. Take a moment to check these before signing — and if anything is unclear, you have the right to ask.
How to compare offers and switch to a better deal
Because your bill must be clear and standardised, you can hold one offer up against another on equal terms — comparing the fixed standing charge and the variable price per unit, not just the headline number. That's what turns moving to a better deal into a real, informed choice rather than a guess. Comparing offers and changing supplier is your right, and it's usually free and quick.
How to get help if something goes wrong
If you have a problem with your supplier — a charge you don't recognize, a contract dispute, a billing error — you don't have to sort it out alone. You have the right to fast, free and impartial help, usually through a single point of contact in your country.
Country-specific hubs
If you live in Spain, Greece or Czechia, we summarise what is new on the energy market, share inspirational success stories (like the one about heat pump uptake here below), direct to national tools and support, and provide press and media material.
CLEAR-HP boosts heat pump uptake with a pan-European push
As Europe grapples with volatile energy prices and the need to cut fossil fuel dependence, the transition to clean heating has never been more urgent. Consumers leading the EU’s energy ambition response through uptake of heat pumps (CLEAR-HP) is an EU co-funded initiative reshaping how households across the continent access, understand, and adopt heat pump technology.
Realising the need for change
For most European households, heating systems are replaced only every 15 to 25 years. When the moment comes, consumers often lack the information to make a well-informed choice — and many default to familiar fossil fuel boilers, locking in emissions and high bills for decades.
CLEAR-HP was designed to change that. Coordinated by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and bringing together consumer organisations from Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain — alongside ICRT (International Consumer Research & Testing) — the project guides households through every step: from initial information to installation and aftercare.
For BEUC, the project reflects a broader mission. “Energy and energy efficiency are big topics for us,” says Sara Patrone, BEUC Senior Project Manager. “How can people afford clean tech? How can they afford paying high energy bills? We bring capacity building to consumers while also providing reliable information about clean tech, and what should be kept in mind before purchasing such products.” Heat pumps, she adds, are not a one-size-fits-all solution. “They can save money — but unless a home is properly insulated, they can cost a great deal. A key part of our efforts is to help consumers understand this important difference.”
Taking the first steps
Since its 2023 launch, CLEAR-HP has organised 59 workshops reaching over 6 500 consumers across seven countries. The sessions, held in local languages, tackled the questions households face most: Why switch? Where do I find a reliable installer? How much will it cost — and save?
In Bulgaria, project partner and BEUC member BNAAC ran the only fully in-person national campaign. “Communication around this workshop was really fantastic,” Patrone notes, “and very effective in providing a big, long-term perspective to participants.” In fact, Bulgaria proved the project’s best-performing country.
Response elsewhere also exceeded expectations. “Consumers were very happy to participate,” Patrone continues. “As soon as they heard about the technology, they wanted to learn more. And while the enthusiasm was there, the trust factor is what proved vital to the success of the campaign. We’re a consumer-focused organisation working alongside independent organisations, which makes a big difference.”
This trust was reinforced through rigorous product vetting. “The only heat pumps we recommended were those that passed our tests,” Patrone says. “We tested them in a real-world environment — not just under ideal conditions.”
From beneficiaries to energy actors
CLEAR-HP’s most innovative intervention is the collective purchase campaign: consumer organisations aggregate demand to negotiate vetted, competitively priced ‘purchase and install’ packages, addressing affordability and trust at once. In Belgium, Testachats guided members through the entire renovation process — from insulation assessment to installer vetting. In Bulgaria, the collective purchase campaign organised by partner and BEUC-member BNAAC resulted in 259 new installations of air-to-air heat pumps.
CLEAR-HP’s impact has also rippled into policy. The project’s 22 recommendations span fiscal reform, low-income subsidies, installer training, and one-stop-shop guidance. Concrete wins are already visible: Belgium’s 2025 tax shift reduced electricity levies and raised them on gas and oil, while VAT on heat pumps was cut from 21 to 6 percent for new homes.
A blueprint for Europe’s energy future
CLEAR-HP’s results — over 23 000 registered consumers, 424 installations, 376 tonnes of CO₂ saved, and 1.38 GWh of annual energy savings — represent a strong proof of concept for consumer-led, EU-backed action. Its workshops and guidance materials will remain freely available in local languages after the project closes in June 2026, continuing to reach households long after the funding ends.
Independent energy: ZEZ recharges its future through resource reinvestment
Croatia has more than 2,300 solar hours per year — one of the highest figures in the EU. At the same time, there are just three registered citizen energy communities (CECs) in the country, and zero registered renewable energy communities (RECs). Zelena Energetska Zadruga, or ZEZ (Green Energy Cooperative), is a not-for-profit, Zagreb-based energy cooperative that has spent more than a decade trying to bridge this striking gap between possibility and reality.
Founded in 2013 — six years before EU law would formally recognise the right of citizens to form energy communities — ZEZ has grown from a group of seven individuals into Croatia’s leading citizen-driven energy organisation: 20 employees, 2+ MW of solar installed, 600+ homeowners supported, and a teeming online community of solar enthusiasts.
Realising the need for change
ZEZ’s origins were inauspicious. “We took some of our initial inspiration from energy cooperatives that were developing at the time in Western Europe,” says co-founder Zoran Kordić, “and wanted to test a similar business model in Croatia. Unfortunately, that very same year the Ministry of Economy scaled back its state-backed incentive programmes for renewables.” Finding itself blocked for the time being from engaging in commercial activity, the cooperative pivoted to advocacy and education.
There were problems of perception to overcome as well. “We started as — and are still — a cooperative,” Kordić explains. “And while the term has largely positive connotations in Western Europe, it’s different in Croatia because the term is often associated with the communist past. It’s seen as an old-fashioned and unattractive way of doing things — also at the institutional level. An entity like ours runs on a model that’s pretty difficult to explain to banks.”
The EU’s Clean Energy for All Europeans Package, adopted in 2019, changed the legal landscape by establishing the right of citizens to form energy communities and participate in energy markets on equal terms. But Croatia has been quite slow to transpose these rights.
The results of a survey of 800 Croatian citizens – carried out by ZEZ in May 2026 – confirms this institutional gap with striking clarity: 71% of respondents expressed willingness to participate in joint energy production, but formal registration of renewable energy communities lags far behind more than five years later. ‘Croatia does not have a problem with interest,’ the report concludes. ‘It has a problem with implementation.’
Taking the first steps
Beginning in 2019, Croatia’s Renewable Energy Act unlocked investment in solar for households and SMEs, and ZEZ entered quickly and successfully into commercial activity. Now financially independent, ZEZ reinvests 100% of profits back into the organisation — a deliberately non-profit model unusual within the cooperative movement. “We don’t offer shareholder dividends,” Kordić explains. “Everything goes back in – whether it’s to purchase cars, vans or equipment, for educating our own people.”
ZEZ’s primary citizen-facing tool is Na sunčanoj strani (‘On the Sunny Side’), a free advisory platform launched in 2020 with EU EIT Climate-KIC support. In its first two years, the platform advised more than 3,000 households, helped 300 citizens apply for public co-financing, ran 50+ workshops, and reached 22 cities through 60+ partners. The platform’s Facebook community has swelled to 35,000 members — installers, homeowners, and enthusiasts sharing knowledge and experience. “This is a good demonstration of how a single NGO not supported by any institution can emerge as a friendly and trustworthy platform for useful information,” says Kordić.
From beneficiaries to energy actors
In 2023, ZEZ co-founded ZEZ Sunce, a European cooperative (SCE) that enables citizen installation and collective ownership of solar. The model is straightforward: members invest in solar parks on public buildings, receive a financial return, and — in the longer term — the ability to draw energy from those parks directly. A portion of profits is directed to energy poverty projects in the host communities. ZEZ Sunce now has 126 members and is preparing further projects.
ZEZ also convened Croatia’s first Energy Communities Forum in April 2024, bringing together 17 organisations — now 22 — working on citizen energy across the country. The Forum is pushing for a simple registration process, accessible technical and financial support, and an active role for municipalities in deploying solar on public buildings. Its target: 1 GW of new citizen and community energy by 2030.
Kordić is candid about what motivates people to participate. “I think the global geopolitical situation has a lot to do with current public sentiment,” he says. “People understand that electricity prices in Croatia are not realistically sustainable. Government subsidies are keeping prices artificially low and it’s just a matter of time before prices go up, so people recognise the need for energy independence.”
A cooperative for the long haul
ZEZ’s trajectory — from just a few citizens to an organisation that has become the de facto national platform for citizen energy in Croatia — is, in Kordić’s telling, a story of determination as much as strategy. The cooperative has been a REScoop.eu member from the beginning, including as a board member, and has built close partnerships with community energy organisations in Greece, Serbia, and Hungary. It has been selected as the only Croatian recipient of the Google.org Impact Challenge for Central and Eastern Europe, and has survived more than a decade without state support by consistently reinvesting in its own capacity.
The institutional environment remains the central frustration. “At institutional level, the main shortcoming is undercapacity,” Kordić notes. “In most cases it’s just a question of ticking boxes to satisfy minimum criteria.” But against this, he sets something more durable: the evidence that citizens, given the right information and a trustworthy vehicle, will invest in their own energy future. “Just over a decade ago, in 2013, we wished for energy in the hands of citizens,” ZEZ states on its website. “That was the beginning of our shift away from the traditional view of ‘electricity from an outlet’ — and that still guides us today.”
Key facts and data
450 million EU citizens in approximately 245 million households are every day consuming a lot of energy.
Get involved – take action!
Whether you’re starting out on your own, building a family, or managing your own home, your energy choices matter. Here’s how you can make the most of your rights and opportunities
For renters: Check your first contract for these 3 things
- is your contract clear? Look for simple, transparent terms – no hidden fees or confusing clauses. You have the right to fair contract conditions.
- do you understand your bill? Ask your supplier to explain what each part means. If your bill isn’t clear, you can ask for help or get advice.
- can you switch easily? You have the right to change supplier if you find a better deal – often with no extra cost or hassle.
Tip: If you have questions, contact your local advice centre or Europe Direct for free support.
For families: Protect your household – know your rights if your bill changes
Running a household means keeping an eye on costs and comfort. Here’s what to watch out for
- advance notice of changes: Your supplier must tell you ahead of time if prices or contract terms are about to change.
- support for vulnerable customers: If your family faces financial difficulties, you may qualify for special protection or social tariffs. Find out what support is available in your country.
- clear, detailed bills: Check that your bill clearly separates fixed and variable costs. If something doesn’t add up, you have the right to ask for clarification or dispute a charge.
Tip: If you think your rights have not been respected, you can use free dispute resolution services in your country.
For homeowners: Compare offers and join an energy community
Owning your home gives you more ways to save and get involved in the energy transition.
- compare suppliers and tariffs: Use official comparison tools to find the best deal for your needs. Switching is your right and can often be done quickly and easily
- smart meters and energy management: If you have a smart meter, use it to track your consumption and optimise when you use electricity for even more savings
join or start an energy community: Team up with neighbours to produce and share renewable energy. As a prosumer, you can use the energy you generate and sell the rest back to the grid
Tip: Many countries offer guides and local support to help you join or create an energy community. Explore your options and see how you can benefit!
No matter your situation, you have rights and opportunities. Take the next step in Europe’s clean energy transition – for your wallet, your home, and the planet.
Background
The European Commission launched the campaign “Unlock Your Power – Your Energy. Your Rights. Your Choice.” on 11 June 2026, during the European Sustainable Energy Week in Brussels.
This EU pilot initiative is designed to empower citizens in the clean energy transition by raising awareness of their energy rights and supporting active participation in the energy market. Grounded in a rights-based approach, the campaign focuses on education, empowerment, and participation.
Unlock Your Power is being piloted in Spain, Greece, and Czechia, with tailored information and resources for each country, while also providing all materials in English to ensure accessibility for citizens across the EU.
Follow and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #UnlockYourPower.