EU directives 2009/72/EC, 2009/73/EC and the EU directive on energy efficiency 2012/27/EU mandate the implementation of intelligent metering systems to enhance consumer participation in the energy market.
By 2020, at least 80% of households were expected to be equipped with smart meters where a positive cost-benefit assessment was made.
To support this initiative, the European Commission and EFTA issued Mandate M/441 in 2009, tasking CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI with developing an open architecture for utility meters that ensures communication interoperability.
Smart Metering Standardization
In response to M/441, the European Standardization Organizations (ESOs) established the Smart Meters Coordination Group (SM-CG) as a joint advisory body overseeing standardization efforts.
Key Developments
The first phase focused on developing a European standard for smart meter communications, leading to the publication of CEN-CLC-ETSI TR 50572:2011, which outlines a functional reference architecture for smart meter communication standards.
The second phase (2009-2012) involved defining harmonized standards for additional smart metering functionalities within interoperable frameworks. The results were compiled in an SM-CG report summarizing progress during this period.
From 2013 to 2016, SM-CG produced a series of reports addressing privacy and security challenges:
A Minimum Security Requirements document was also developed, serving as a reference for Member States defining security criteria for smart metering.
Following M/441, the Smart Meters Coordination Group continues to contribute to the development and maintenance of smart metering standards, supporting the European rollout of advanced metering infrastructures.
