With a staff of around 50 and an annual budget estimated at €7 million, ACER has been established as a regulatory agency (Regulation (EC) No 713/2009 of 13 July 2009) and is expected to be fully operational with effect from mid-2011. The provisional headquarters of ACER will be in Brussels.

ACER will be a key player in liberalisation of the EU’s electricity and natural gas markets. Its Director will play a central role in setting up and operating ACER and in establishing and managing its administrative, operational and financial structures.