In the context of the European Union promoting clean energy, sustainability and better living conditions for its citizens, the development of smarts cities is an initiative supported at the European Union level, in line with the new energy policies of the European Union promoted by the package “Clean Energy for All Europeans”. The concept of smart cities gains increasing importance in the European Union, a fact that is reflected in the project “European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities” of the European Commission. Smart cities are a practical example of how the new energy policies shape the lives of the European Union citizens, trying to improve it. As a consequence, new business models arise in big cities, involving the use of technology for better living conditions. These new, technology-based business models are important, as they improve the life quality of the inhabitants, they reduce the climate change impact, and they contribute as well to job creation in the IT-industry, promoting innovation. They have as well a social impact, as they bring experts from energy policies, business, economics, legal and IT together in order to project a new type of city—the smart city. The research hypothesis of the present article is that there is a high acceptance towards the concept of smart cities at the European Union level and that this concept could be implemented with the help of information technology and of artificial intelligence. This way, legal provisions, economic measures and IT-tools work together in order to create synergy effects for better life quality of the citizens of the European Union. The research hypothesis is analyzed by means of the questionnaire as a qualitative research method and is as well assessed by using case studies (e.g., Austria, Finland, Romania). The novelty of the case studies is that the development of smart cities is analyzed due to the new trend towards sustainability in two countries with different living conditions in the European Union.

Developing smart cities as a practical component of sustainability is an initiative being promoted worldwide at the international level. The European Union has a strong focus on creating awareness regarding the necessity of new consumption models in energy, considering the current energy crisis and increasing inflation. The aim of the present paper is to assess the paradigm shift from consumers to prosumers in smart cities of the European Union in the international context of promoting sustainability and finding solutions to the current energy crisis. New solutions have to be found and implemented in order to ensure citizens in the European Union have better living conditions under these given circumstances. Developing smart cities in the countries of the European Union is a response to this international context and a solution for better life quality for citizens. Smart cities are not just high-tech cities, but are sustainable cities putting the consumer first. Consumer living in smart cities has new functions in this sustainable environment: they will develop from consumer to prosumer. This paradigm shift brings new consumption models to be implemented in smart cities, centered on the prosumer. The proactive role of the prosumer will change their mindset. This is the research hypothesis of the present paper: smart cities will help consumers to become prosumers and a new mindset will be created for citizens living in smart cities. This development will have a social impact beyond academia and will shape society in a new way. Qualitative comparative analysis is used as a research method in the present article. A case study is presented to support the research hypothesis. The novelty and originality of the present research is the citizen-oriented approach of developing smart cities, considering the perception and the new roles or functions of the citizen living in a smart city regarding these new sustainable cities. Smart cities are analyzed as social hubs offering improved life quality and a sustainable life perspective, beyond the technical or technological components which are usually debated related to smart cities. The resumption theory explains the paradigm shift from consumer to prosumer and the related development of a new mindset for citizens of smart cities in the European Union. Economic, environmental and social incentives trigger a change of mindset from consumers to prosumers in EU smart cities, which is validated in the present paper.

Market power is a multidisciplinary concept, bringing together aspects from law and economics, which are necessary to be understood in order to assess market situations with a global dimension. Globalization is an economic and social phenomenon which comes together with enhanced market power for global actors. Factors influencing or limiting market power, such as corporate social responsibility, are important to understand in order to assess market power situations. According to European Union Law, the concept of market power is reflected in abuse of dominance, which is an anti-competitive behavior prohibited in the Common Market of the EU, as defined in Article—102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. An interdisciplinary approach based on elements of law and economics is thus necessary when assessing market power of global actors.

The European Union develops a new energy policy as an answer to the challenges of climate change which is a global issue affecting all of us. The package “Clean Energy for All Europeans” adopted by the European Commission in 2016, contains instruments for a new energy policy at the level of the European Union, based on an Energy Union, on promoting energy efficiency and the use of Clean Energy. These are the first steps in creating an institutional and legal framework for a common energy market of the European Union. This way the Internal Market of the European Union would be completed by a common energy market and the result would be a consolidated European Union. This is the research hypothesis the present paper is dealing with. It analyzes as well the impact of the new energy policies on the business environment in terms of new innovative business models at European Union level. The research is based on an interdisciplinary approach considering aspects of European policy, European law, business and economics. Qualitative research methods, such as the analysis of European regulations and provisions representing the basis for a harmonized framework in the energy sector at European Union level and case studies from European Union Member States will be applied. Relevant indicators provided by the European Commission and by Eurostat statistics analyzed in the present paper will complete this assessment.

The European Commission has the initiative to foster the sector of renewable energy and to build an Energy Union, with a common energy market at the level of the European Union, but is this only an utopic vision or is this possible to achieve? The topic of clean energy is very new and of great interest for the European Union, which is shown by the fact that the European Commission recently adopted on the 30th November 2016 the package “Clean Energy for All Europeans”, which contains proposals for the modernization of the energy market at the level of the European Union. But which are the challenges such a project is confronted with? According to the literature, such challenges are related to the process of liberalization of electricity markets. Conflicts between national interest and international actors of the energy market might occur. Due to the oligopolistic structure of the energy market, there are several barriers to the market entry. In order to answer to the research questions, case studies regarding the liberalization of the energy market will be analyzed in a comparative manner, offering an international overview. Furthermore, the legal provisions on which the common energy policy of the European Union relies, will be analyzed, as well as their economic and social impact. The package “Clean Energy for All Europeans” comprises a proposal of the revised Renewable energy Directive, energy efficiency measures and issues related to the Energy Union Governance. It contains as well proposals for the electricity market design, which will be analyzed and the present paper outlines the contribution of this proposal in building a common energy market of the European Union. What role does competition play in implementing the common energy market of the European Union? Which role do competition authorities have in this context? These are interesting aspects to be analyzed in the present paper.

Given the current challenges of climate change our society is dealing with at a global level, the European Union develops a new energy policy based on clean energy. The package “Clean Energy for All Europeans”, which has been adopted by the European Commission in 2016, contains measures for a new energy policy at the level of the European Union, based on promoting an Energy Union by following a harmonized framework and common objectives. Considering this European policy debate an interesting topic, the present paper deals with the research question what will be the reaction of the business environment to the energy policy measures proposed by the European Commission in terms of innovation. Indeed, it focuses on innovative solutions based on clean energy, that will arise for achieving the three dimensions of social, economic and environmental sustainability, such as smart cities. The initiative of helping the development of smart cities is currently supported by the European Commission in the project “European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities”. Innovative measures are related to new financing schemes for the new projects, as new investments are needed for implementing innovative solutions. Case studies from different Member States of the European Union, e.g. Italy, Austria and Romania, will illustrate the concept of smart cities and their development in the European Union allowing for an in depth analysis and comparison among the different business models implemented. The present work presents a mixed method approach based on the combination of both qualitative research methods, such as multiple-case studies and quantitative methods, represented by the analysis and triangulation of data and indicators provided by European institutions. Furthermore, this study presents a multidisciplinary perspective, considering aspects of European policy, European law, business and economics.