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In late 2002, ERRA, with the assistance of consultants, began development of a Training Needs Assessment of all ERRA members. The report, finalized in February 2003, included a review of various training formats/approaches (i.e., university-based, ERRA summer school, distance learning, etc.) and assessment of needs and experiences of ERRA members in past training programs. This assessment showed that economic and financial skills are central to the administrative and economic regulation of the public utilities.

Professional development in energy regulation requires a working knowledge of regulatory economics, an understanding of policy impacts and the ability to navigate national policy processes, and effective agency management of the legal and organizational processes necessary for adequate "due-process" protection in regulatory activities. In addition, training programs must take into account local conditions and national values as well as the increasing movements toward regional markets and expanded trade in electricity, which are moving nations into more compatible, harmonized regulatory arrangements.

ERRA realized the importance of training in order to promote better regulatory practices in member countries as well as across the region as specific regional markets develop. The first International Training Program on Energy Regulatory Practices jointly implemented by ERRA and the Central European University (CEU) provided the technical, economic and legal skills that are needed to design and manage successful regulatory systems for the electric power industry. The course focused on three major modules: Basic Economics of Regulation; Tariff and Pricing Issues; Licensing and Competition Issues in a level of depth that met the professional needs of staff in regulatory commissions.

The design of the summer program was based on a peer-type of cooperation. Instructors of the course were practising energy regulators with significant and noteworthy regulatory experience and expertise. The course was designed to assure the transfer of practices and information from experienced regulators to new or young regulatory staff. At the same time, the course ensured that practices and lessons accumulated by energy regulators of the Central-Eastern European region were transferred to recently established organizations of other European regions.

The target audience of the summer school was junior and newer regulatory commissioners/staff of ERRA members who are current and future policy makers in their countries.

The course was jointly funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID and the Central European University (CEU).

For the Course Curricula and Participant List please visit the Participants and Agenda menu. For the Course Materials please contact the ERRA Secretariat at secretariat@erranet.org.