The German energy market undergoes format changes twice a year, during which regulatory requirements must be implemented technically. These adjustments are based on legal requirements and aim to standardise market communication between the parties involved and make it more efficient. Depending on their scope, these adjustments have minor or major implications for all market partners.
Following the extensive regulatory changes of the past year, most notably the introduction of the 24‑hour supplier change in the electricity sector, the Format Change 04/2026 is considerably more compact. It provides a welcome counterbalance to the intensive transition year of 2025. The upcoming adjustments refine existing processes and address smaller, targeted corrections where needed from a regulatory standpoint.
Hansen Germany ensures the complete implementation of these changes in powercloud, one of our Hansen CIS products designed specifically for the needs of energy suppliers in Germany and the DACH region. Our goal is to guarantee a smooth and reliable transition, enabling our customers to stay focused on their day‑to‑day operations.
The 24‑hour supplier change for gas already took effect on January 1, 2026 – however, this change had no IT impacts. The reason is a clarification by the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) stating that the legally defined process under Section 20a EnWG can be handled within existing system landscapes. For energy suppliers, this means the technical workflow for a “delivery start within 24 hours” is already fully integrated into their IT environments.
Process Changes in GeLi Gas 2.0 – Small but Significant
Although the 24‑hour supplier change in the gas sector itself did not require additional process changes, the FUM 04/2026 introduces a number of adjustments within the framework of GeLi Gas 2.0 (Geschäftsprozesse Lieferantenwechsel Gas).
The implementation follows a two‑step approach: The migration to the AS4 communication standard in the gas market was completed on April 1, 2025. The process‑related updates of GeLi Gas 2.0 will become binding on April 1, 2026.
Analysis of the new requirements shows that only a few processes need to be modified. Most changes relate to documentation structure, including the introduction of new sequence and activity diagrams. Deadlines and core workflows remain unchanged. The truly relevant updates affect data exchange between market participants. Two formats already established in the electricity market will now be introduced to the gas sector:
- PARTIN will enable a standardised exchange of contact information, ensuring clear communication pathways between suppliers, distribution network operators, and metering point operators.
- COMDIS will standardise rules for feedback and rejections relating to billing‑relevant information.
As a result, despite the revised documentation structure of GeLi Gas 2.0, the Format Changeover 04/2026 remains manageable overall. The introduction of PARTIN and COMDIS represents the most substantial content-related changes. All other adjustments primarily support clearer documentation and a more consistent representation of established workflows.
“Light Completion Report”: Majority Already Delivered
As a long‑standing provider in the German energy market, we continue to focus on delivering quality and reliability, and in close collaboration with our customers. The progress of the FUM 04/2026 implementation in Hansen’s powercloud reflects this commitment: By February 14, 2026, the majority of adjustments had already been delivered, with the remaining items scheduled for the March release.
As always, all changes will be activated at the official transition date via the “FUM switch” – fully automated and without any additional effort required from our customers. With this, Hansen Germany once again sets a benchmark for efficient and reliable implementation of regulatory requirements.
