Call for proposals

– Study on the Reform of the electricity Market in Europe –

The Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung is an internationally operating, left non-profit organisation for civic education affiliated with Germany’s Left Party. Active since 1990, the foundation has been committed to the analysis of social and political processes and developments worldwide. We work in favor of a more just world system based on international solidarity.

Background & objectives

The ongoing energy crisis is blatantly demonstrating the failure of the energy system currently in place in the European Union. The incremental process of liberalization, through the adoption of different energy packages advanced by the European commission led to, an average increase of prices throughout the years1. Since summer 2021, a conjunction of factors drove the skyrocketing of energy prices and the current system has been unable to shield households from this crisis. Leading to a situation where more than 1 out of 4 people in the EU is in a situation of energy poverty. In the meantime, the profit of fossil fuels companies has risen to an unseen level. In 2022, in the European Union four of the major oil & gas companies have made seventy seven billion euros of benefits during the nine first months of the year.2

On March 16, the European commission will release its plan for the reform of the electricity market, a reform called by the European Council back in 2022. The executive branch of the European Union will then present a set of proposals that will officially launch the process to reform the electricity legal framework in Europe.

The Study

The study will go back to the roots of the energy crisis, briefly detailing its causes, and its economic as well as social impacts. It will analyze the functioning of the electricity markets and how prices are fixated and created in the current system. In a second moment, the research will assess the upcoming proposal from the European Commission measuring the response at the wake of the needed transformation of the sector. Based on this analysis the core of the study will focus into proposing clear pathways for reform of the electricity market with the goal of providing clean and affordable energy for all Europeans. The research should look into the possibility and feasibility for a publicly owned energy system to be implemented.

The research will also possibly assess some of the main demands that have been made around windfall tax and prices cap and how they could fit onto the process of building a new electricity mechanism in the European market.

Conditions

  • Word length: 15,000–20,000 words
  • Language: English
  • Honorarium: 8000 euros

Timeline

  • Notification to authors: Tuesday, 25 March 2023
  • Submission of study: Monday, 4 September 2023
  • Publication: October 2023

Application

CV + abstract and outline of the research of up to 1,000 words must be submitted to Nessim Achouche at  arffvz.npubhpur@ebfnyhk.bet, subject line: “[your name] – Abstract: Electricity Market reform”, by 27rd March, 2023, 11 am CEST. Late submissions will not be considered.

1 https://www.epsu.org/sites/default/files/article/files/Going%20Public_EPSU-PSIRU%20Report%202019%20-%20EN.pdf

2 https://corporateeurope.org/en/2022/10/fuelling-cost-living-crisis

call for offer - Electricity Market reform studyPDF file