Management of the Hungarian Energy Office - Magyar Energia Hivatal

or disconnection from natural gas supply due to overdue
payment and reconnection to supply after the debt is paid have
been managed by Nemzeti Fogyasztóvédelmi Hatóság in the
whole year in the case of electricity, and since 1 July 2009
in natural gas sector. Accordingly, HEO transferred 328 such
complaints to Nemzeti Fogyasztóvédelmi Hatóság, on the
management of which the latter has competence. Complaints
were evaluated, resolutions were issued and measures were
taken continuously. As a result of the inspections conducted
on the basis of experience gained during the process of
consumer complaint management, HEO did not impose any
fi ne in 2009 but imposed in its resolutions other obligations
bound to deadline. If a licensee fails to meet those, a fi ne may
be imposed on it. For not meeting the obligations of quality of
service, HEO imposed a fi ne of 60 million HUF in only one
case.
In 2009, HEO conducted a consumer satisfaction survey for
the fourteenth time. In the opinion of approximately 10 000
electricity consumers and 10 000 natural gas consumers,
there were no signifi cant changes in the tendencies of the
previous years. The most critical fi elds were uninterrupted
supply, restoration of breakdowns, complaint management
and availability of Call Centers in both sectors. Construability
of bills was a source of several problems in both sectors.
HEO maintained active relations with other administrative
bodies working in the fi eld of consumer protection. An
especially intensive dialogue developed between HEO and the
Hungarian Authority for Consumer Protection. HEO provided
professional support in the management of the consumer
complaints diffi cult to be judged, the spheres of authority have
been clarifi ed as a result of modifi cation of several legal rules
and in accordance with HEO’s new resolutions on client service
quality, the formal and contentual requirements of data
supply obligation have been reregulated. HEO operated the
Energy Interest Representation Board (EIRB) also in 2009
with a view to ensure the continuity of the dialogue between
customers and licensees.
Energy saving, environmental protection
The HEO cooperated in the implementation of energy saving
and improved energy effi ciency strategy of the Government.
As an expert, it participated in the work of the inter-ministerial
commission evaluating tenders aiming at the improvement of
energy effi ciency, as well as in the work of the commission
evaluating tenders in the Environmental Protection and
Infrastructure Operational Programme. It also assisted in the
preparatory work of calls for tenders.
Energy information
The supply and the processing of technical and economic data
of licensees required by HEO for meeting its responsibilities
as well as the data supply towards international organisations
and co-authorities were continuous.
Publicity and information
annual report 2009
The President of HEO, in compliance with his task specifi ed
by the relevant law, submitted a report on the activities
of HEO in 2008 to the Government in 2009 as well. HEO
prepared its annual national report presenting the operation
of the electricity and natural gas markets in accordance with
the Directive 2003/796/EC and with the appropriate content
specifi ed in the Directive 2003/54/EC on electricity, and the
Directive 2003/55/EC on natural gas.
The HEO continuously supplied information to consumer
representative organizations on the issues of licensing, price
preparation, market analysis and market regulation through
the Energy Interest Representation Board.
HEO performs its data supply obligations towards international
organizations (EUROSTAT, International Energy Agency,
etc.) regularly including, among others, the most important
data of the electricity and natural gas sectors.
Experts of HEO played an active role in the various
organizations of the European Commission, as well as in its
professional committees, in the working groups of the Council
of European Energy Regulators (CEER), and of the European
Regulators’ Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG).
HEO issued its publication on the activity of HEO and the
key technical and economic data of the supervised sector, and
the Electricity Statistical Yearbook containing the data of the
electricity system also in 2009. The senior management of the
Offi ce regularly informed the written and electronic press on
consumer related issues.
On its homepage at www.eh.gov.hu, the HEO provides
information on its activities, its resolutions of public interest,
its announcements, and the main events of the energy market.
Claims against HEO’s resolutions
In 2009, in addition to the cases of consumer protection, HEO
made 853 resolutions. 27 of them were challenged at law
court. From among them, 4 cases were tried, and 23 cases are
still in progress. 49 lawsuits were carried over to 2009 from
earlier years. From among these cases, 24 were tried in 2009
and 25 cases are still in progress.
In 2009, HEO proceeded in 1877 cases associated with
consumer protection. Stakeholders contested the resolution of
HEO in 93 cases. From among these, 9 cases were tried and 84
cases are still in progress. 61 lawsuits were carried over from
the former years to 2009. From among these cases, 19 lawsuits
were tried and 42 cases are still in progress.
annual report 2009 | 11