Law No. 8 of 2017 - Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission Law.

This Law, consisting of 27 articles, aims to establish the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission with the following main tasks (i) Regulating the sector based on a balance among the interests of consumers, licensees, authorized persons, investors, and all other relevant parties; (ii) Protecting the interests of consumers, provided they comply with the service provision terms approved by the Authority and issued by the licensee and authorized person; (iii) Maintaining and developing an effective structure for the sector; (iv) Ensuring the provision of safe, stable, sustainable, and high-quality services; (v) Ensuring the provision of public safety requirements and working to protect the environment, human health, and property; (vi) Ensuring the provision of services required by licensees to consumers in an adequate and high-quality manner. To achieve its objectives, the Commission undertakes the following duties and powers (i) Granting permits and licenses to persons operating in the sector; (ii) Verifying the compliance of the authorized and licensed parties; (iii) Monitoring the authorized and licensed parties to ensure their compliance with the provisions of the relevant legislation regulating the sector, as well as the permits and licenses granted. For this purpose, the Authority may inspect any facility or other entity; (iv) Participating in the development of standard specifications or technical regulations related to equipment, facilities, and materials in the sector; (v) Participating with the relevant authorities in developing the requirements necessary to implement the environmental conditions for the sector's facilities and installations; (vi) Establishing an integrated information system; (vii) Resolving disputes between licensees and consumers, and between licensees themselves if their contracts permit or if they agree to mediation. The Commission is managed and supervised by a board called the Board of Commissioners, which is responsible for establishing the sector's foundations and standards, ensuring that licensees meet performance, safety, and durability criteria, preparing the Authority's annual budget and reports for approval by the Council of Ministers, and overseeing the hiring and training of qualified staff. Commissioners and their close relatives are prohibited from working or consulting in the sector during their term and for one year after. They must also declare any existing conflicts of interest upon appointment and resolve any new ones within three months. Furthermore, they are legally prohibited from disclosing or personally using any confidential information obtained during their work, with this restriction continuing for one year after their employment ends.
Under Article 17, the Commission is mandated to create a National Information System for the sector. This central database, which contains all relevant data and statistics for strategic planning and public information, requires all licensees to provide periodic reports. It also includes a national registry of all permits and licenses.