European Directive Research Articles

Status and prospects of renewable hydrogen use in Ukraine: impact on industry and decarbonization pathways

Ukraine has tremendous potential for renewable energy production. With sources such as solar and wind, coupled with a strong industrial sector (primarily in metallurgy and chemical industry), Ukraine is well positioned to play a significant role in large-scale production of green hydrogen. This is particularly relevant today with the global shift towards green hydrogen production.Currently, Ukraine’s hydrogen production stands at approximately 360,000 t/year, which is primarily used for ammonia production. While this only accounts for 0.5% of the total global demand, with technological advancement and investment, Ukraine could significantly increase its hydrogen production capacity.Central European directives, in particular the European Commission’s “Energy System Integration. Hydrogen” and the “Green Hydrogen for a European Green Deal: A 2х40 GW Initiative”, identify Ukraine as a strategic partner in the development of renewable hydrogen. These strategic documents envision the construction of up to 10 GW of electrolysis capacities in Ukraine by 2030, intended for renewable hydrogen production. About 1.8 GW of this capacity is for the domestic market, primarily for the production of green ammonia, a critical commodity for the agro-industrial complex.Implementing these initiatives could significantly reduce Ukraine’s energy dependence on imported fuels and significantly reduce harmful emissions, in line with international efforts towards sustainable development. This transition could play a pivotal role in the decarbonization of Ukraine’s economy and contribute to its national energy security. However, realizing this requires significant advancement in hydrogen production technology and infrastructure.This includes infrastructure for efficient storage and transportation of hydrogen. Furthermore, it requires government policy support, namely investment incentives, research and development subsidies, and assistance in the infrastructure development. Thus, the prospects for the evolution of hydrogen economy in Ukraine are indeed attractive. The production of green ammonia is an important step in this direction. Under favourable conditions, it is possible to produce hydrogen for consumption both domestically and for export to European Union countries.

Città intelligenti e neutralità climatica: verso la transizione energetica

The contribution discusses the goal of achieving global climate neutrality, focusing on the activities of cities, energy production, and consumption. Europe is committed to supporting a hundred selected cities in reaching climate neutrality by 2030 through the Mission Climate Neutral and Smart Cities. This commitment combines climate neutrality with the concept of smart cities, promoting innovation and setting an example for other cities to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. For the hundred cities, Europe envisions the use of financial tools, regulatory interventions, and a Climate City Contract, along with funds from the national recovery and resilience plans, which are expected to be suitably coordinated. Due to the continued high consumption of fossil fuels, and of their inevitable use in the coming – hopefully few - decades, efforts must be made to improve the efficiency of existing power plants and utilize less polluting fossil fuel sources. The use of renewable sources, particularly solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, becomes increasingly imperative. Gradual electrification of sectors emerges as a key strategy for the energy transition, considering the natural integration of these sources into the power grid. The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier and storage source, as well as ongoing research in nuclear energy, are additional essential elements contributing to the implementation of a diversified energy strategy deemed necessary. The widespread adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) and smart sector integration are also fundamental components of the energy transition. Renewable energy communities of prosumers, promoted by the European directives RED II and IEM of the Clean Energy Package, could potentially generate 20% of the energy consumed in cities by 2030, further emphasizing the importance of the electrical system and smart grids in this context.

A membrane filtration method for the enumeration of Escherichia coli in bathing water and other waters with high levels of background bacteria.

The presence and level of faecal indicator bacteria are important factors in estimating the microbiological quality of surface water and the risk of human infection upon exposure to this water. Until 2014, ISO 9308-1:2000 was available and used to enumerate faecal indicator Escherichia coli in bathing water. In 2014, this ISO was technically revised and replaced by ISO 9308-1:2014. This ISO introduced a less selective method for enumeration of E. coli that allows non-specific growth from waters containing high levels of bacteria, such as surface waters. This implies that currently there is no suitable reference membrane filtration method for the compliance monitoring of official bathing sites for E. coli according to the European Bathing Water Directive. Here, the performance characteristics of three chromogenic culture media, namely Tryptone Bile X-glucuronide (TBX) agar, Chromogenic Coliform Agar (CCA), and CHROMagar E. coli/Coliform (ECC) were investigated at 44 °C for water with varying levels of bacteria according to ISO 13843:2017. Based on performance characteristics, colony counts, and practical usage, TBX appeared the most suitable culture medium for the enumeration of E. coli in bathing water and other waters with high levels of background bacteria, such as surface water in agricultural areas and wastewater discharge points.

The Solent Strait: Water quality trends within a heavily trafficked marine environment, 2000 to 2020

This study presents an important long-term historical analysis of water quality in an internationally crucial waterway (the Solent, Hampshire, UK), in the context of increasing adoption of open-loop Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems by shipping. The pollutants studied were acidification (pH), zinc, and benzo [a] pyrene, alongside temperature. We compared baseline sites to locations likely to be impacted by pollution. The Solent's average water temperature is slightly increasing, with temperatures at wastewater sites significantly higher. Acidification suggests a complex story, with a highly significant small overall increase in pH during the study period but significantly different values at wastewater and port sites. Zn concentrations have significantly reduced but increased in enclosed waters such as marinas. BaP showed no long-term trend with values at marinas significantly and consistently higher. The findings provide valuable long-term background data and insights that can feed into the upcoming review of the European Union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive and ongoing discussions about the regulation of, and future monitoring and management strategies for coastal/marine waterways.

Extension variance: an early geostatistical concept applied to assess nitrate pollution in groundwater

Monitoring and assessing groundwater quality according to European directives and national regulations is usually based on interpolation techniques, e.g. Kriging. However, contour maps of hydrochemical parameters often suggest a spurious local accuracy and can therefore lead to inappropriate action measures. Here, the early concept of extension variance combined with the Voronoi tessellation regionalization is proposed. The mosaic-like representation of pollutant concentrations in Voronoi polygons avoids misinterpretations caused by interpolation. The additional calculation of the extension variance, which is based on fundamental geostatistical assumptions, allows for estimating the probability that a given threshold is exceeded. This concept is further extended to hydraulically delimitable groundwater bodies, thus ensuring that hydraulic boundaries are considered. A method is here described for the assessment of groundwater quality with respect to nitrate concentration in the principal aquifer of the state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Germany.

The kindergarten of Crosara by Sergio Los: reassessing a pioneering thermally efficient building

ABSTRACT Given the environmental and energy crises, European directives are targeting building energy efficiency. Architects must improve the thermal performance of their designs to approach Nearly-Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standards. Energy-efficient experimental buildings from the 1970s are often held up as inspiring examples of energy-conscious architectural design. However, the lack of quantitative data about their thermal performance, measured using current evaluation standards and units, makes their legacy difficult to interpret today. This study aims to verify the relevance of 1970s energy-efficient architecture by quantifying the thermal performance of an exemplary case: the kindergarten designed by Sergio Los in Crosara (Italy). The thermal performance of the building in its original configuration is re-assessed using energy simulation software and discussed relative to past and present standards, including carbon emissions. The results quantify the contributions of different energy-conscious strategies and show that the building’s pioneering performance results primarily from the architect’s bioclimatic design decisions. The study demonstrates how architects reduced building energy demands in the 1970s and explores the impact of their strategies relative to contemporary efficiency priorities.

Energy and environmental assessment of a biomass-based renewable energy community including photovoltaic and hydroelectric systems

Recent European Directives have promoted Renewable Energy Communities as pivotal drivers to achieve energy and environmental European targets. In this context, the aim of this paper is to assess the energy and environmental feasibility of a Renewable Energy Community located in Northern Italy. The analysis is conducted starting from the real electricity consumption and thermal energy requests data made available from different datasets. After the analysis and processing of input data, the size and technical characteristics of the devices installed at the Renewable Energy Community are defined. A biomass-based cogenerator, a small hydro power plant, and distributed photovoltaic systems have been selected, thereby different layouts are considered and analysed, in terms of cogenerator operating mode and photovoltaic systems peak power. The results show that, in the best scenario, the annual renewable electricity used to satisfy electric load increases by 20.3% and about 68.1% of the total thermo-electric requests are met through biomass utilization. The bi-directional interactions with power grid are reduced from 60.6% to 51.7%. The thermal and electric sharing within the community ensures a decrease of carbon dioxide emissions up to 18.5%.

Matters of care or matters of security: feminist reflections on prosecuting terrorism financing

ABSTRACT International treaties and European directives have put new legal responsibilities on EU member states to pre-emptively monitor and prosecute terrorist activities and offences. In particular, the prosecution of terrorism financing has been an important focus to prevent material and ideological support for terrorist organisations. Yet, a clear distinction between humanitarian aid and terrorism financing in a complex war zone is not always easy to draw: Which of the involved parties is perceived as a terrorist threat, and what is exactly considered humanitarian aid work? In this paper, we empirically unpack how EU counter-terrorism laws and policies are actually practiced during court trials. We investigate the legal distinction between humanitarian aid and terrorism financing in Syria, specifically centring on trials from the Netherlands and Germany. Drawing on the growing debates in critical security and legal studies on materiality, we focus on how materials presented during trials such as baby products, weapons, and money, are inscribed with a particular security logic to reach a legal verdict. Introducing the concept of “matters of care/security”, we connect these debates and findings to insights from feminist and post-colonial studies to critically inquire how racialised and gendered assumptions on terrorist threat impact terrorism trials.

Economic Analysis of the Waste Market in Romania

Abstract Waste recycling is a priority area for political factors in Romania, who must identify possible solutions for the reuse of waste. Over time, many studies have been carried out to determine the economic-ecological aspects and the profitability of using waste as a substitute for raw materials. However, effective solutions in this field have not been identified in Romania, and this situation hindering the activities of specialists in the recycling sector. This paper aims to provide an overview, based on statistical data and research studies, of the environmental markets in Romania, focusing on the waste market. In order to study the key economic and ecological characteristics of the use of waste, the series of statistical data in the field - Sustainable Development - Targets for 2030, published by the National Institute of Statistics (tempo online) were processed and analyzed. Also, another purpose of the article is to highlight the positive and negative aspects in the field of waste recycling in Romania, to identify the flows that should be corrected, and opportunities that could contribute to the creation of this system to meet the European standards imposed by the European Directive.

노동인권 제고를 위한 새로운 노력

The issue of labor rights violations by multinational corporations has emerged as a serious international problem. Accordingly, the international community discussed how to regulate labor rights violations by multinational companies and strengthen their responsibility to protect labor rights. Various efforts and attempts to protect human rights at the level of multinational corporations, global governance and international organizations, and advanced countries have resulted in preventing violations of labor rights by multinational corporations and enhancing labor rights. However, there were definitely limitations. New measures are emerging to enhance labor human rights that can overcome these limitations. The EU Parliament and EU Member States have determined that the essence of the problem of labor rights violations by multinational corporations lies in global supply chains. They intend to enhance labor rights by enacting the Mandatory Corporate Due Diligence Act (Mandatory Supply Chain Due Diligence) to impose certain obligations on domestic companies, overseas branches of domestic companies, and subcontractors for human rights and due diligence. The due diligence obligations of the EU Parliament and EU member states are not limited to domestic companies, but they are also mandatory for foreign companies operating in their countries, which is expected to have a lot of impact and change. According to the EU Parliament's Corporate Due Diligence Directive, Korean conglomerates and small and medium-sized enterprises exporting to the EU are subject to the due diligence guidelines, so they must carry out due diligence on human rights and the environment in their supply chains, assess and minimize negative impacts, and disclose information. The EU Parliament's Mandatory Business Due Diligence Directive applies not only to the original contracting company but also to cases of human rights violations caused by its suppliers.
 In particular, the textile and steel industries, which are high-risk sectors, are more likely to be classified as companies subject to due diligence obligations, so they should also pay attention to the issue of labor rights violations that may occur in the global supply chain. Although it will take some time for the EU Parliament's mandatory corporate due diligence directive to be applied in EU member states, the trend of EU member states and the EU Parliament making it mandatory for companies to conduct due diligence on their supply chains is expected to have a significant impact on international norms. In line with this trend, the Korean government also needs to actively restructure its domestic laws and policies to comply with various international standards, including the European Due Diligence Directive.

A nationwide collapse of a priority grassland bird related to livestock conversion and intensification

Grassland birds are among the most threatened and fastest declining terrestrial vertebrate species in Europe, principally due to agricultural intensification and transformation. The little bustard is a priority grassland bird under the European Directive (2009/147/CE) that led to the classification of a network of Special Protected Areas (SPAs) in Portugal. A third national survey carried out in 2022 reveals a worsening of an ongoing population collapse at a national scale. The population declined by 77% and 56% compared to the previous surveys in 2006 and 2016, respectively. We found that the little bustard has greatly disappeared outside SPAs, while the remaining breeding population concentrated within the protected area network is showing a steep decline at a rate of 9% a year. This decline is now twice as fast when compared to the period 2006–2016. Analysis of the variation of the breeding densities between 2006 and 2022 at 49 survey sites revealed that those that initially had higher bustard densities and shifted toward a higher proportion of cattle among the total stocking rate experienced steeper declines. Areas where the density of roads increased also experienced declines over the course of the study period. Agricultural areas converted to or dominated by beef production likely relate to low breeding success and mortality of nesting females in fodder crops. Still, major habitat conversion outside SPAs to permanent crops led to overall habitat destruction, which contributed to the species decline and range contraction. Other threats are likely acting synergistically such as fragmentation, climate change and anthropogenic mortality. The extinction of the little bustard in Portugal is expected in the short term if no conservation actions are put in place.

Monitoring pollution pathways in river water by predictive path modelling using untargeted GC-MS measurements

To safeguard the quality of river water, a comprehensive approach is required within the European Water Framework Directive. It is vital to conduct non-target screening of the complete chemical fingerprint of the aquatic ecosystem, as this will help to identify chemicals of emerging concern and uncover their unusual dynamic patterns in river water. Achieving this goal calls for an advanced combination of two measurement paradigms: tracing the potential pollution path through the river network and detecting the numerous compounds that constitute the chemical composition, both known and unknown. To address this challenge, we propose an integrated approach that combines the preprocessing of ongoing Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) measurements at nine sites along the Rhine using PARAllel FActor Analysis2 (PARAFAC2) for non-target screening, with spatiotemporal modelling of these sites within the river network using a statistical path modelling algorithm called Process Partial Least Squares (Process PLS). With an average explained variance of 97.0%, PARAFAC2 extracted mass spectra, elution, and concentration profiles of known and unknown chemicals. On average, 76.8% of the chemical variability captured by the PARAFAC2 concentration profiles was extracted by Process PLS. The integrated approach enabled us to track chemicals through the Rhine catchment, and tentatively identify known and as-yet unknown potential pollutants, including methyl tert-butyl ether and 1,3-cyclopentadiene, based on non-target screening and spatiotemporal behaviour.

The Politics of Changing the Dutch Agri-Food System

Tensions between farmers, government and society have recently been running high in the Netherlands. Dutch farmers are furious with the national government because of the ever-stricter nitrogen policy that is supposed to save nature in the Netherlands, in line with European directives. The current plan states that nitrogen emissions need to be reduced by 50% in 2030. The disagreement over how to tackle the nitrogen issue in the Netherlands is a deeply rooted conflict that goes back decades. In this political commentary, we analyse the conflict and argue that the solutions proposed in the public and political debate tend to ignore the systemic nature of the problem. We suggest that it is important to work towards innovation in the rules and arrangements that govern agricultural value chains to create a more conducive and enabling environment for the regional initiatives that have emerged in response to the current crisis, several of which challenge the currently dominant food system.

The goby fish Sicydium spp. as valuable sentinel species towards the chemical stress in freshwater bodies of West Indies

Implementation of the European Water Framework Directive in tropical areas such as the French West Indies (FWI) requires to select relevant aquatic sentinel species for investigating the ecological status of surface waters. The present work aimed to study the biological response of the widespread fish Sicydium spp. towards river chemical quality in Guadeloupe island through a set of proper biomarkers. During a 2-year survey, the hepatic EROD activity, the micronucleus formation and the level of primary DNA strand breaks in erythrocytes were measured respectively as an enzymatic biomarker of exposure and genotoxicity endpoints in fish living upstream and downstream of two chemically-contrasted rivers. Hepatic EROD activity was shown to be variable along the time but always significantly higher in fish from the most contaminated river (Rivière aux Herbes) compared to the low contaminated one (Grande Rivière de Vieux-Habitants). Fish size did not influence EROD activity. Female fish exhibited a lower EROD activity compared to males depending on the catching period. We observed significant temporal variation in micronucleus frequency and primary DNA damage level measured in fish erythrocytes that did not depend on the fish size. Micronucleus frequency and to a lesser extent DNA damage were significantly higher in fish from the Rivière aux Herbes compared to the Grande Rivière de Vieux-Habitants. Our results argue for the interest of using Sicydium spp. as sentinel species to assess river quality and chemical pressures in FWI.

Where is European Regulation 536/2014 Taking Us?

The centralised clinical trial authorisation process, introduced by European Regulation 536/2014, came into force on 31 January 2022. The Regulation is inflexible, both legally and in the technical detail of the authorisation process itself. The principal justification for moving away from the older European Directive 2001/20 seems to be limited to multinational trials: multiple applications to national competent authorities (NCAs), would theoretically be replaced by a single, internationally harmonised authorisation. In fact, the Regulation itself reserves many powers to the NCAs, and the latter, in any case, can lawfully impose further requirements even after that harmonised approval; the year's experience reflects these disadvantages. It would have been better if Regulation 536/2014 had been written to allow the European Medicines Agency greater flexibility, and offered an alternative, optional approach to clinical trial authorisation in the European Union.

EUROPEAN DIRECTIVES THROUGH THE INTEGRITY EVALUATION OF THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

Hydroelectric generating units at hydro power plants consist of turbine and hydromechanical equipment, which components could be subject to a large number of European Directives. Responsibility of turbine manufacturer is to make sure that certain components of equipment are in agreement with requirements of the specific Directive. This paper offers the opportunity to perceive the possibility of applying the Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC, Simple Pressure Vessels Directive 2009/105/EC, Machinery Directive 98/37/EEC and Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC for turbine equipment at hydro power plants ‘Djerdap 1’ and ‘Djerdap 2’, because components of the turbine regulator and of the lubrication system, of the runner and measurement and regulation system are individually subject to different Directives. The overview of the possible approach regarding the standardization and technical harmonization of turbine equipment components for easier assessment of their integrity is also presented in this paper.

ASSESSMENT BY MACROINVERTEBRATES OF THE ECOLOGICAL QUALITY OF SHALLOW LAKE WITH RICH SAPROPEL SEDIMENTS

In this research, the ecological quality of the Lake Vēveru (Latvia, Rēzekne district) according to macroinvertebrates was investigated. The Lake Vēveru has a large sapropel deposit. The Lake Vēveru is relatively little affected by human economic activity, the only moderate impact is sapropel mining in the lake in 2009-2012, it is planned to resume industrial sapropel mining in the lake. During the period of sapropel removal, a decrease in the transparency of water is noted due to the nutrient flow into the water mass, pH increases, the habitat of planktonic and benthic organisms is disturbed. Macroinvertebrates samples were collected and analyzed using standard methods in the open pelagic and littoral zones of the lake in different seasons. The ecological quality of the lake was assessed in accordance with the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive in Latvia. To characterize the ecological status of the lake the Latvian Lake Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index was used. According to the Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) the lake indicates a good ecological status of the water. However, a moderately low species diversity index indicates the dominance of certain taxa. In general, macroinvertebrates species that are often and widely found in Latvia and are environmentally tolerant have been found in the lake. Water temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, oxidation reduction potential, chlorophyll-α were measured with a HACH OTT DS5 Probe. Water transparency was measured using a Secchi disc.

The rate of use of the Circular Economy in individual sectors

Although the concept of the circular economy as a term was first mentioned in 2015, when the "Action Plan for the circular economy" was adopted at the European level, it is still not possible to speak of a sufficient knowledge base in this area. The Action Plan (COM (2015) 614) can be seen as an initial strategic document that sets out a concrete and ambitious roadmap for implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. However, the European Green Agreement cannot be left out in this context either (COM(2019) 640). It is seen as a new growth strategy to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern, competitive, resource-efficient economy, with net greenhouse gas emissions expected to be zero by 2050 and economic growth independent of resource use. A new EU circular economy action plan - Towards a cleaner and more competitive Europe was also adopted in 2020 (COM(2020) 98). The main priority areas are measures focusing on the value chains of key products electronics and ICT (information and communication technologies), batteries and vehicles, plastics, textiles, packaging, construction and buildings, food, water and nutrients measures covering all links in the value chain from production to consumption, repair and refurbishment, waste management up to the return of raw materials back to the economy and their use in the production cycle in the form of secondary raw materials. The transition to a circular economy also includes a revision of the European waste directives: on waste, on packaging and packaging waste, on landfills, on batteries and accumulators and used batteries and accumulators, and on waste electrical and electronic equipment. In order for all of this to be possible, it is necessary to know the amount of waste produced by individual sectors, which is also dealt with in our article.

Coastal rocky reef fish monitoring in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Environmental DNA metabarcoding complements underwater visual census

Efficient biodiversity monitoring programs are essential to assess the ecological status of marine ecosystems. In the context of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MFSD), coastal rocky reef fish assemblages are most often surveyed using underwater visual census (UVC). While UVC is well-suited to monitor conspicuous fish, it underestimates hidden, vagrant and/or elusive fishes. Hence, complementary methods are needed to survey the whole fish assemblage. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is increasingly used in this context. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of eDNA metabarcoding collected from water to provide sound and complementary diversity data to UVC in support of the MFSD. Both methods were used to examine coastal rocky reef fish assemblages in one bay of Brittany (France), along an inshore-offshore gradient and during two seasons. eDNA metabarcoding was carried out following different water sampling strategies: small water volumes (2L) from stationary sampling at the surface and bottom and large water volume (30L) filtered at the surface while moving in close vicinity of the sampling site. A total of 93 (including 57 species) and 33 (including 27 species) taxa were detected with eDNA metabarcoding and UVC, respectively. Eleven species were only recorded by UVC, a result explained for nine of them by a lack of taxonomic resolution of the markers used (12S and 16S) and/or the unavailability of reference sequences. eDNA metabarcoding allows to recover species expected to be present, such as demersal rocky specialist fishes, at a similar species richness level than UVC (14 species for UVC and 12 species for eDNA). It however also unveiled other taxa (pelagic, bentho-pelagic and others demersal fishes) inhabiting the bay and rarely reported through UVC (18 species for UVC and 45 species for eDNA). Despite these differences in species identified by UVC vs. eDNA, both survey methods were consistent in characterizing spatio-temporal variabilities of fish assemblages, highlighting strong site fidelity of eDNA to the source communities. In a well-mixed water column, the eDNA signal was very homogeneous, allowing the use of the cost-effective small water volume eDNA sampling method. eDNA metabarcoding is thus particularly promising to study coastal rocky reef assemblages, and when coupled with UVC, it improves monitoring surveys.

Світовий досвід правого забезпечення використання споживачів-регуляторів в енергосистемах

The positive experience of using various technologies in power systems as consumers-regulators for energy management is shown, which helps to increase the reliability and stability of power systems, and also reduces the need for new generating capacities, including expensive peak ones. The world experience of legal support for the use of consumers-regulators in power systems at the international, national, and regional levels is considered, namely: directives and regulations of the 4th European EU Energy Package; laws of the USA about independence and national security, energy efficiency improvements, research and development for grid modernization, and the results of the programs developed based on them; laws and regulations of the U.S.A. states and Canada to promote energy savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased use of renewable energy sources (RES) and other new technologies; the effectiveness of the system of measures DSM (Demand Side Management). In these documents, an important role is assigned to both the use of technologies such as RES, energy storage, Smart Grid, etc., and the possibility to combine consumers of different categories and the rules for their participation in the electricity market in a non-discriminatory way. An increase step by step in support for the use of consumers-regulators in power systems in the legislative and other national documents of Ukraine, in particular, in the new law on the development of energy storage installations, the National Action Plan for Renewable Energy for the period up to 2030, the National Transport Strategy of Ukraine for the period up to 2030, etc., which meet the main provisions of European directives, and it is also shown the need to take into account the wide introduction of new technologies such as Smart Grid, building consumption regulation, the use of electric vehicle charging stations, etc. Keywords: consumers-regulators, legal support, power system.