FantasticSearch

1. Member States shall ensure that at least natural gas household customers, as well as microenterprises and small enterprises with an expected yearly consumption of below 100 000 kWh, have access, free of charge, to at least one tool comparing the offers of suppliers, including bundled offers. Customers shall be informed of the availability of such tools in or together with their bills or by other means. Such tools shall at least:

(a) be independent from market participants and ensure that natural gas undertakings are given equal treatment in search results;

(b) clearly disclose their owners and the natural or legal person operating and controlling the tools, as well as information on how the tools are financed;

(c) set out clear and objective criteria on which the comparison is to be based, including services, and disclose them;

(d) use plain and unambiguous language;

(e) provide accurate and up-to-date information and state the time of the last update of the information;

(f) be accessible to persons with disabilities, by being perceivable, operable, understandable and robust;

(g) provide an effective procedure for reporting incorrect information on published offers;

(h) perform comparisons, while limiting the personal data requested to that strictly necessary for the comparison;

(i) clearly indicate whether the price is fixed or variable and the duration of the contract. Member States shall ensure that at least one tool covers the entire market for natural gas. Where multiple tools cover the market, those tools shall include, as complete as practicable, a range of natural gas offers covering a significant part of the market and, where those tools do not completely cover the market, a clear statement to that effect, provided before displaying results. Suppliers and relevant intermediaries shall provide their relevant offers to at least one price comparison tool that covers the entire market. Suppliers shall ensure that the information provided to the operator of the comparison tool is accurate and up-to-date.

2. The tools may be operated by any entity, including private companies and public authorities or bodies.

3. Member States may require comparison tools referred to in paragraph 1 to include comparative criteria relating to the nature of the services offered by the suppliers, including the single unit price, all charges and information on discounts, and, where applicable, environmental performance. When establishing those criteria, Member States shall consult the relevant stakeholders.

4. Member States shall appoint a competent authority to be responsible for issuing trust marks for comparison tools that meet the requirements set out in paragraph 1, and for ensuring that comparison tools bearing such a trust mark continue to meet those requirements. That competent authority shall be independent of any market participants and comparison tool operators.

5. Any tool comparing the offers of market participants shall be eligible to apply for a trust mark as referred to in paragraph 4 on a voluntary and non-discriminatory basis.

6. By way of derogation from paragraphs 4 and 5, Member States may choose not to provide for the issuance of trust marks to comparison tools if a public authority or body provides a comparison tool that meets the requirements set out in paragraph 1.