Energy Market Regulation: Impacts of EU Research.

European decisions in general, and in the energy field in particular, are often scientifically supported. Already before the formal “impact assessment”, which has to accompany all the major policy initiatives launched by the European Commission since 2003, EU energy socio-economic research was used to develop tools and methods (models, software, database) able to evaluate scientifically the expected economic, social and environmental impacts of the proposed energy-related policy. This paper deals with empirical examples highlighting the role of the researchers in supporting EU policies regarding CO2-emission trading, energy taxation, renewable electricity targets and energy efficiency potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]