In 2007 taxes for natural gas could be different according to the consumer’s income

The priorities of the Prices and Taxes Committee of the Regional Association of Energy Regulators (ERRA), for 2007 will be the protection of the consumers with small incomes, organizing public hearings on draft decisions of the regulatory authorities, as well as setting the natural gas prices according to consumer categories. The last two topics were forwarded during the Committee’s meeting on September 14-15 in Chisinau by the representatives of the regulatory authorities from the Republic of Moldova. Representatives of regulatory authorities from 19 countries attended the meeting. President of the Committee, Svetla Todorova, declared that she is satisfied with the results of the meeting and the committee’s work, in which the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) had a great input. She also mentioned that during the meeting two thematic reports on gas prices and determining the efficiency factor in the stimulatory process, as well as a manual entitled “Setting prices and taxes”. This is the first work written based on previous experience of regulation authorities from ERRA member countries and will be published for young specialists from the field. The Prices and taxes Committee is one of the two permanent ERRA committees, and its meeting take place two times per year in member countries. Thematic reports, analyses and other documents are adopted in the committee in order to facilitate discussions, information and experience interchange. ERRA has been created in December 2000 by regulation authorities from 15 countries from Europe and Asia, including the Republic of Moldova. It is then when ANRE became member with full rights of this regional association. The main goals of ERRA is to contribute to the improvement of energy regulation process in member countries. At present ERRA is formed from regulation authorities of 22 countries from Central and Eastern Europa, as well as CIS.