Objectives

About us: Responsibilities and objectives of the VEÖ

The Association of Austrian Electricity Companies(VEÖ) is the pressure group of the Austrian electricity industry (producers, distributors, dealers). The Association – with its approximately 140 member organisations, which account for more than 90 percent of the Austrian electricity generation – represents the interests of the Austrian electricity industry at home and abroad — and has already done so since 1953.

Liberalisation strengthens the demand for balancing of interests

The complete opening of the Austrian electricity market effective 1 October 2001 fundamentally changed the energy landscape. Therefore one of the Association’s most important objectives is to function as a platform for balancing the interests within the industry. Because an essential prerequisite for being heard is to speak with one voice.

The Association safeguards the interests of its members

The Association continuously works together with representatives of political institutions, public authorities and corporate bodies, and also represents the mutual positions of the entire branch of the industry vis-ŕ-vis the aforementioned organisations as well as the press. The objective of this dialogue is to safeguard the energy-political interests of the member enterprises – not the least also in view of legislation – so that the Austrian electricity enterprises can also ensure the supply of the Austrian population and industry with electrical energy at competitive prices in the future. A particularly intensive contact exists between the Association and the “E-Control” regulatory agency. The continuous further development of legal, technical and economic general conditions of the liberalised electricity market is mutually worked on in working groups (among other things on market regulations and security of supply. While doing so, it is essential to represent the interests of member enterprises during the preparation of general conditions, and thus to ensure a functioning, competitively organised electricity market.

Exchange of information at home and abroad

Particularly in a market characterised by competition, it is of essential importance for the electricity enterprises to be able to discuss formulations of topics on a technically well-founded basis. The VEÖ offers various forums (conferences, lectures, etc.) for the exchange of information and opinion between member enterprises, but also with organisations at home and abroad. Moreover, the corporate experts especially develop positions – in the committees assigned to the four working areas (Networks, Generation/Competition, Cross-section Material, Energy Policy & Sustainable Development) – pertaining to economic, technical, legal and environmental policy concerns.

A voice which is also heard internationally

The VEÖ represents Austria in EURELECTRIC — the European umbrella organisation of the electricity industry. Via the European pressure group the member enterprises have the possibility to influence energy policy decisions of the European Commission and the European Parliament. But at the same time the members also profit from the ongoing information emanating from the EURELECTRIC committees.

Competitive advantage via information lead

The more intensive the competition, the more important the procurement, evaluation and provisioning of information (optimal knowledge management)becomes in order to be able to successfully survive as a business enterprise on the market. That is why the VEÖ considers itself as necessary in its function as a knowledge pool, and provides an important service for its members with the research of relevant information and the utilisation of industry documents as well as statistical material. In the future, the range of services shall also be expanded to include the tracking of social, political and economic trends relevant to the electricity industry so that the business enterprises can be offered a well-prepared base of knowledge for pointing the way ahead for tomorrow. Furthermore, the Association offers its members qualified consulting services in economic, technical and special legal matters.

Research and development — the basis for future success

Research as well as the further development of technical and economical methods is a particularly indispensable prerequisite for ensuring supply not only for a high-technology sector such as the electricity industry, but also for a company’s economic success. That is why the Association considers it as its responsibility to co-ordinate, to promote and to support significant and forward-looking projects/studies in the realm of research, development, environmental protection as well as law via the Energy Research Association (EFG), which has its seat in the VEÖ.

Negotiation of collective agreements for the electricity industry

Safeguarding the interests of member enterprises vis-ŕ-vis the employee-elected representation is also among the Association’s responsibilities. The VEÖ conducts the regular collective agreement negotiations with the social partners, and is also entitled to enter into collective agreements for the approximately 18,000 employees of the member enterprises.

Further training/information with the VEÖ

Via the VEÖ’s subsidiary enterprise, the VEÖ Seminar und Medienverlags- und -vertriebs Ges.m.b.H. (VEÖ Seminar and Media Publishing & Distribution Ltd.), the Association offers vocational training seminars, conferences and workshops, as well as training and further vocational training events and publications pertaining to topical electricity industry themes. As a result of the longstanding association with top experts from the national and international energy industry, from science and research as well as politics and the economy, a high-quality vocational training/information provision offer can be ensured and co-ordinated with the requirements of the electricity industry.