EnR is a voluntary network for more than 20 national energy agencies in Europe. The Spanish energy agency IDAE is president during 2011.
The Swedish Energy Agency was president for European Energy Network, during 2010. Please download EnRs Annual Report for 2010 at the right side of this page.
EnR's goal is to strengthen cooperation between member agencies and other European actors on all issues relevant to sustainable energy. EnR is currently numbering more than twenty European energy agencies, and more are likely to apply. At the annueal meeting in March 2011, the Turkish energy agency EIE was accepted as a new member. The member agencies have responsibility for issues like planning, management or review of national research, as well as development, demonstration or dissemination programmes in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy in their countries. Ministries are not among the members.
EnR promote international comparison and information sharing. This is done in eight working groups which cover important fields like energy efficiency, transport, labelling and behaviour.
"The ambition that the Swedish Energy Agency had for its presidency was that EnR shall be an inspiring speaking partner for European policy makers in the field of energy and climate change issues”, said Josephine Bahr Ljungdell, head of the International Secretariat at the Swedish Energy Agency, when the agency took over the presidency from Portugal in 2010.
EnR member met with representatives from DG Tren during the autumn, e.g to present Energy Efficiency Working Group's discussion paper on EU's Energy Action Plan in December 2010.
As well as this exchange of information, EnR Working Groups serve as forums for the conception and implementation of successful common projects within the framework of EU-funded programmes, such as the European Commission's Intelligent Energy Europe Programme.
The Swedish presidency would like to extend EnRs work to new areas, explains Mr Tomas Kåberger, Director General at the Swedish Energy Agency:
"EnR can contribute both to European competitiveness by encouraging more energy efficient industries, and to more efficient economy in the renewable energy sector by trying out the directive's different mechanisms for cooperation", Mr Kåberger says.
Preparations for a new working group on Industry has started and it will be formally etstablished in 2012. NL Agency has assumed the chairmanship of th group until then.
EnR has a rotating presidency, for a year at a time. Sweden took over the presidency from Portugal's energy agency ADENE, at EnR's annual meeting in Madrid on February 10. IDAE in Spain, has assumed the presidency for 2011 and will be followed by the Greek agency CRES in 2012.
EnR members at the meeting in Gothenburg in May 2010.
