report parliamentary committee draft, 16 April 2026
On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives (EU) 2018/2001, (EU) 2019/944, (EU) 2024/1788 as regards acceleration of permit-granting procedures
Document ITRE-PR-785274 · (COM(2025)1007 – C100341/2025 – 2025/0400(COD))
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy · Rapporteur: Niels Fuglsang
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Draft european parliament legislative resolution 354 paragraphs
(COM(2025)1007 – C100341/2025 – 2025/0400(COD))
(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
–having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2025)1007),
–having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) and Article 194(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C100341/2025),
–having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
–having regard to the reasoned opinions submitted, within the framework of Protocol No 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, by the Czech Senate, the French Senate and the Swedish Parliament, asserting that the draft legislative act does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity,
–having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of …,
–having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 5 March 2026,
–having regard to Rule 60 of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety,
–having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A100000/2026),
Read the rest (342 paragraphs)
1.Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;
2.Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;
3.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.
Amendment 1
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (3a) Another significant barrier to grid expansion is the lack of sufficient financing. According to the Commission, EUR 1,2 trillion is needed for investments in electricity grids by 20401a to achieve a decarbonised economy. Therefore, Member States should facilitate access to financing sources, including the Union funding instruments, in particular the European Competitiveness Fund and the policy window for Energy Infrastructure, Industrial Decarbonisation and Clean Technology. Such instruments are planned to contribute covering, inter alia, investments in transmission and distribution networks with a view to enabling the integration of renewable energy. Furthermore, Member States are encouraged to prioritise and make effective use of innovative financial instruments, such as blended finance, guarantees and project development assistance, by combining Union support with financing from the European Investment Bank Group, national promotional banks and other public and private financial institutions, to support the development, reinforcement and integration of electricity grid infrastructure projects. Such instruments are essential to accelerate investment delivery, improve project bankability and substantially reduce investment risks for complex grid projects, thereby contributing to the large-scale integration of renewable energy and strengthening the resilience, security and affordability of the Union’s energy system. | |
| 1a EUR 1,2 trillion by 2040 for electricity grids, including EUR 730 billion for distribution grids alone, and EUR 240 billion for hydrogen networks. European Commission: Directorate-General for Energy, Trinomics, Artelys and LBST, Investment needs of European energy infrastructure to enable a decarbonised economy – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2833/8232521. |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5) Unsound public participation processes leading to opposition in the form of administrative and judicial challenges continue to contribute to lengthy implementation of relevant energy projects. Challenges give rise to additional steps outside of the foreseen administrative permit-granting procedures timelines, leading to unforeseen delays that vary in duration according to the judicial speed of the Member State in question. Lack of public acceptance is one of the primary barriers to renewable energy permit-granting procedures and thus market uptake. Ensuring public participation by local communities in renewable energy projects, in particular the larger ones, can increase public acceptance. Therefore, Member States should adopt measures so that large renewable energy projects share their benefits with local citizens and communities by means of direct or indirect participation, without prejudice to the free choice of supplier in accordance with Article 4 of Directive (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council7 . Such measures may include direct financial participation measures, in various forms such as shared ownership schemes, including via cooperation with energy communities; crowdfunding schemes, or renewable self-consumption or energy sharing schemes, or indirect financial participation measures, such as the promotion of contracts and job creation for the local communities, including training programmes; community benefit funds; financial compensations to local communities in proximity of the project; construction and maintenance of public infrastructure in proximity of the project; discounts in the price of electricity, or support for vulnerable customers and people affected by energy poverty. | (5) Unsound public participation processes leading to opposition in the form of administrative and judicial challenges continue to contribute to lengthy implementation of relevant energy projects. Challenges give rise to additional steps outside of the foreseen administrative permit-granting procedures timelines, leading to unforeseen delays that vary in duration according to the judicial speed of the Member State in question. Lack of public acceptance is one of the primary barriers to renewable energy permit-granting procedures and thus market uptake. Ensuring public participation by local communities in renewable energy projects, can increase public acceptance. Therefore, Member States should adopt measures so that renewable energy projects with an installed capacity above 3 MW share their benefits with local citizens and communities by means of direct or indirect participation, without prejudice to the free choice of supplier in accordance with Article 4 of Directive (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council7. Such measures should achieve the objective of the Citizens Energy Package of 90GW of community energy projects by 2030, including direct participation in renewable energy projects, through co-ownership models, to enhance local acceptance and deliver additional social and economic value. Such measures should deliver tangible economic benefits to the communities affected. They should prioritise discounts in the price of electricity, ensuring lower electricity bills for households and businesses, financial compensation to local communities affected by the project, by introducing a resource rent, namely a fixed price per kWh renewable energy produced in the local community attributed to the economy of the local community to support local welfare and other priorities of the communities, enabling shared ownership schemes of the energy generating assets, and the energy produced by those assets through renewable energy communities, including via cooperation with energy communities, allowing communities the opportunity to have democratic ownership over a portion of the assets installed and the resulting generated energy. Particular attention should be paid to ensuring that communities most affected by renewable energy projects, including vulnerable and energy-poor households, receive an adequate and, where appropriate, a higher share of the benefits, including through targeted outreach and accessible participation mechanisms. |
| 7 Directive (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on common rules for the internal market for electricity and amending Directive 2012/27/EU (OJ L 158, 14.6.2019, p. 125, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/944/oj). | 7 Directive (EU) 2019/944 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on common rules for the internal market for electricity and amending Directive 2012/27/EU (OJ L 158, 14.6.2019, p. 125, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/944/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 3
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (6) Local resistance, often rooted in lack of transparency, and insufficient community involvement can result in delays in permit-granting procedures and subsequent litigation. Early-stage and appropriate involvement of the public is a clear success factor in renewable energy projects, as indicated in Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/1343.8 A professional independent facilitator can accelerate the deployment of large renewable energy installations above 10 MW by promoting consultations between the project developers and the local communities, where appropriate, prior and during the permit-granting procedures with the aim to promote dialogue and build consensus among the relevant parties during the entire process and avoid legal disputes. The facilitator should be a third party, independent from the relevant parties, and should not have any financial stake connected to the developer or to the community where the project is located. | (6) Local resistance, often rooted in lack of transparency, and insufficient community involvement can result in delays in permit-granting procedures and subsequent litigation. Early-stage and appropriate involvement of the public is a clear success factor in renewable energy projects, as indicated in Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/1343.8 To ensure transparency from the initial stages of the process, Member States should ensure that local communities have access to all necessary information on the project, their rights and benefit sharing measures. A professional independent facilitator can accelerate the deployment of large renewable energy installations above 3 MW by promoting consultations between the project developers and the local communities, where appropriate, prior and during the permit-granting procedures with the aim to promote dialogue and build consensus among the relevant parties, including on equitable benefit-sharing measures, during the entire process and avoid legal disputes. The facilitator should be a third party, independent from the relevant parties, and should not have any financial stake connected to the developer or to the community where the project is located. If a Member State already has procedures in place that are equally effective in ensuring participation and public acceptance of renewable energy projects, it should be able to retain and use those instead of appointing a facilitator. |
| 8 Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/1343 of 13 May 2024 on speeding up permit-granting procedures for renewable energy and related infrastructure projects (OJ L, 2024/1343, 21.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2024/1343/oj). | 8 Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/1343 of 13 May 2024 on speeding up permit-granting procedures for renewable energy and related infrastructure projects (OJ L, 2024/1343, 21.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2024/1343/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 4
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7a) The use of advanced digital tools, such as the use of digital twins and other dynamic digital models, can significantly support the acceleration of permit-granting procedures while ensuring high environmental protection standards. Digital twins include dynamic virtual representations of a physical asset or infrastructure that are continuously updated with real-world data throughout their lifecycle, enabling simulation, predictive maintenance, performance optimisation and impact assessment of proposed modifications. Digital twins of the European electricity grid could enhance the efficiency and smartness of the grid as a way to make networks, and the energy system as a whole, more intelligent. The development of a federated ecosystem of this solution on a European scale would allow each operator to make independent implementation decisions while ensuring interoperability. In general, advanced digital technologies can improve the efficiency, transparency and quality of environmental assessments by enabling data-driven comparisons between existing and proposed infrastructure configurations. In particular, digital models can facilitate the assessment of whether modifications such as repowering or grid upgrades remain within an existing footprint, thereby supporting more proportionate assessment procedures while preserving environmental safeguards and public scrutiny. |
Or. en
Amendment 5
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8) Faster and shorter permitting deadlines for permit-granting procedures need to be accompanied by additional measures which ensure their effectiveness in practice. Administrative tacit approval measures ensure that an application is automatically approved if the public administration fails to act within a legally defined deadline and are therefore a useful tool to address administrative inaction by providing legal effect to the administration’s silence. Directive (EU) 2018/2001 introduces tacit approval for certain decisions, namely for intermediate steps of the permit-granting procedure in renewable acceleration areas, and for the final permits for all small-scale solar installations with a capacity below 100 kW. Given the need to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy sources and the fact that the implementation of renewable acceleration areas is a time-consuming process, it is appropriate to also apply this measure in the permit-granting procedures applicable to projects located outside acceleration areas. In these procedures, Member States should ensure that the principle of administrative tacit approval is applied, including for final decisions with the exception of environmental decisions. In order to ensure an effective application of this measure and to guarantee the rights of third parties to judicial protection, the relevant authorities should make public that a decision has been tacitly adopted. | (8) Faster and shorter permitting deadlines for permit-granting procedures need to be accompanied by additional measures which ensure their effectiveness in practice. Administrative tacit approval measures ensure that an application is automatically approved if the public administration fails to act within a legally defined deadline and are therefore a useful tool to address administrative inaction by providing legal effect to the administration’s silence. Directive (EU) 2018/2001 introduces tacit approval for certain decisions, namely for intermediate steps of the permit-granting procedure in renewable acceleration areas, and for the final permits for all small-scale solar installations with a capacity below 100 kW. Directive (EU) 2018/2001 introduced Renewable Acceleration Areas to ensure faster and shorter permitting, however their implementation has been uneven across Member States. In particular, the absence or insufficient designation of such areas may result, in practice, in large parts of national territories being treated as de facto exclusion zones, thereby undermining the objective of ensuring the timely deployment of renewable energy projects. Therefore, it is important to also apply this measure in the permit-granting procedures applicable to projects located outside acceleration areas. In these procedures, Member States should ensure that the principle of administrative tacit approval is applied, including for final decisions with the exception of environmental decisions. In order to ensure an effective application of this measure and to guarantee the rights of third parties to judicial protection, the relevant authorities should make public that a decision has been tacitly adopted. |
Or. en
Amendment 6
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8a) To accelerate the deployment of electricity infrastructure, the Commission and Member States should aim to agree on a high level of standardisation of key grid equipment across the Union. Enhanced coordination and, where appropriate, joint technical assessment by the Commission, distribution system operators, transmission system operators and industry, should be encouraged to ensure consistency, interoperability and streamlined permitting. |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8b) Member States are encouraged to apply European preference in public procurement processes for electricity grid equipment, software and services in order to reduce the Union’s dependence on third-country suppliers. The Commission should ensure a strategic approach to acquiring energy technologies, components or critical materials related to grids while promoting resilience, sustainability and security in public procurement procedures. |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (9) Repowering of existing renewable energy power plants has significant potential to contribute to the achievement of renewable energy targets. Since existing renewable energy power plants have, for the most part, been installed in sites with significant renewable energy source potential, repowering can ensure the continued use of those sites, thus ensuring efficient land use and exploitation of the best renewable energy resources. This is particularly the case for onshore wind, especially taking into account that in Europe many onshore wind farms are approaching the end of contracts supporting their electricity generation and that 26 GW of existing wind plants have been in operation for more than 20 years10 . Repowering includes further benefits such as an existing grid connection, a likely higher degree of public acceptance and knowledge of the likely environmental impacts. Considering that the repowering of wind plants often leads to a lower number of turbines being installed in the same site, the environmental impact of repowered wind plants is limited. Therefore, requirements on environmental screening or environmental impact assessment should be reduced or even waived where the repowering of an existing wind plant does not entail use of additional land surface, increases the total capacity of the installation and complies with the applicable environmental mitigation measures established for the original wind energy installation. | (9) Repowering of existing renewable energy power plants has significant potential to contribute to the achievement of renewable energy targets. Since existing renewable energy power plants have, for the most part, been installed in sites with significant renewable energy source potential, repowering can ensure the continued use of those sites, thus ensuring efficient land use and exploitation of the best renewable energy resources. This is particularly the case for onshore wind, especially taking into account that in Europe many onshore wind farms are approaching the end of contracts supporting their electricity generation and that 26 GW of existing wind plants have been in operation for more than 20 years10 . Repowering includes further benefits such as an existing grid connection, a likely higher degree of public acceptance and knowledge of the likely environmental impacts. Considering that the repowering of wind plants often leads to a lower number of turbines being installed in the same site, the environmental impact of repowered wind plants is limited. Therefore, requirements on environmental screening or environmental impact assessment should be reduced or even waived where the repowering of an existing wind plant does not entail the use of significant additional land surface and the height of the wind installation is not significantly increased, while the repowering increases the total capacity of the installation and complies with the applicable environmental mitigation measures established for the original wind energy installation. |
| 10 WindEurope, 2024 Statistics and the outlook for 2025-2030. | 10 WindEurope, 2024 Statistics and the outlook for 2025-2030. |
Or. en
Amendment 9
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (13) Accelerating the deployment of stand-alone energy storage is crucial to increase the flexibility of the energy system and to ensure system integration of renewable energy production. Stand-alone storage should therefore benefit from accelerated permit-granting procedures. Small-scale energy storage with a capacity below 100 kW is not likely to have significant adverse effects on the environment or the grid and is not expected to raise concerns related to competing uses of space. In view of this, it is appropriate to streamline the permit-granting procedures applicable to this type of storage by eliminating all administrative permits, with the exception of the grid connection permit, and exempting, with appropriate safeguards, these installations from the obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EU. The deployment of energy storage with a capacity above 100 kW also needs to be accelerated. Therefore, it is appropriate to streamline their permit-granting procedure by establishing a maximum overall deadline of six months, except for pumped hydropower storage, which must comply with stricter environmental requirements and therefore requires a longer maximum overall deadline. To ensure system integration of renewable energy production, it is necessary to increase flexibility sources, notably batteries of electric vehicles, as they can contribute to shifting peak electricity demand and reducing grid congestion. In order to achieve this, a swifter and easier deployment of recharging road infrastructure should be further promoted, notably covering cars, vans, trucks, busses or motorcycles, and plug-in hybrid or pure electric vehicles. Both alternating current and direct current recharging stations should benefit from accelerated permit-granting procedures, including for grid connection permits. Small recharging stations with a capacity below 100 kW are not likely to have significant adverse effects on the environment or the grid and are not expected to raise concerns related to competing uses of space. In view of this, it is appropriate to streamline the permit-granting procedures applicable to these recharging stations by eliminating all administrative permits, with the exception of the grid connection permit, and exempting, with appropriate safeguards, these installations from the obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EU. The installation of recharging stations with a capacity above 100 kW also needs to be accelerated. Therefore, it is appropriate to streamline their permit-granting procedure by establishing a maximum overall deadline of six months. | (13) Accelerating the deployment of stand-alone energy storage is crucial to increase the flexibility of the energy system and to ensure system integration of renewable energy production. Stand-alone storage should therefore benefit from accelerated permit-granting procedures. Small-scale energy storage with a capacity below 100 kW is not likely to have significant adverse effects on the environment or the grid and is not expected to raise concerns related to competing uses of space. In view of this, it is appropriate to streamline the permit-granting procedures applicable to this type of storage by eliminating all administrative permits, with the exception of the grid connection permit, and exempting, with appropriate safeguards, these installations from the obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EU. The deployment of energy storage with a capacity above 100 kW also needs to be accelerated. Therefore, it is appropriate to streamline their permit-granting procedure by establishing a maximum overall deadline of six months, except for pumped hydropower storage, which must comply with stricter environmental requirements and therefore requires a longer maximum overall deadline. To ensure system integration of renewable energy production, it is necessary to increase flexibility sources, notably batteries of electric vehicles, as they can contribute to shifting peak electricity demand and reducing grid congestion. In order to achieve this, a swifter and easier deployment of recharging road infrastructure should be further promoted, notably covering cars, vans, trucks, busses or motorcycles, and plug-in hybrid or pure electric vehicles. Both alternating current and direct current recharging stations should benefit from accelerated permit-granting procedures, including for grid connection permits. Small recharging stations with a capacity below 150 kW are not likely to have significant adverse effects on the environment or the grid and are not expected to raise concerns related to competing uses of space. In view of this, it is appropriate to streamline the permit-granting procedures applicable to these recharging stations by eliminating all administrative permits, with the exception of the grid connection permit, and exempting, with appropriate safeguards, these installations from the obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EU. The installation of recharging stations with a capacity above 150 kW also needs to be accelerated. Therefore, it is appropriate to streamline their permit-granting procedure by establishing a maximum overall deadline of six months. |
Or. en
Amendment 10
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (14) Obtaining grid connection permits is a crucial and often time-consuming part of the procedures to build and operate a renewable energy installation. It is therefore appropriate to further streamline the deadlines applicable for the grid connection procedures applicable to certain small-scale renewable energy projects, storage assets and recharging stations, and the repowering and hybridisation of renewable energy projects, and to introduce clear rules regarding the obligations of the system operators during the permit procedures. | (14) Obtaining grid connection permits is a crucial and often time-consuming part of the procedures to build and operate a renewable energy installation. It is therefore appropriate to further streamline the deadlines applicable for the grid connection procedures applicable to certain small-scale renewable energy projects, storage assets and recharging stations, and the repowering and hybridisation of renewable energy projects, and to introduce clear rules regarding the obligations of the system operators during the permit procedures. Within the applicable deadlines, system operators should grant connection requests where capacity allows or, where capacity is insufficient, propose alternative solutions such as flexible connections, alternative connection points, or adjusted timelines; refusal should remain a last resort where no viable option exists. Small-scale solar installations, storage and recharging stations should benefit from streamlined grid connection procedures in cases where a grid connection already exists, under appropriate conditions to ensure grid stability, reliability and safety. |
Or. en
Amendment 11
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (16) Lack of resources in national authorities and the reduced digitalisation of permit-granting procedures results in delays in the permitting of electricity system infrastructure and generation assets. Member States should ensure that such authorities have adequate human financial and technical resources, including skills, and digital management tools and systems that enable them to render decisions within the deadlines provided in the Directive. | (16) Lack of resources in national authorities and the reduced digitalisation of permit-granting procedures results in delays in the permitting of electricity system infrastructure and generation assets. Member States should ensure that such authorities have adequate human financial and technical resources, including skills, and digital management tools and systems that enable them to render decisions within the deadlines provided in the Directive. To ensure the necessary financial resources, Member States should make use of relevant Union funding instruments. |
Or. en
Amendment 12
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (16a) There is an urgent need to address labour shortages in the energy sector to support renewable deployment, grid expansion and related technologies. The persistent shortages of skilled electrical workers such as electrical mechanics and fitters in several Member States as well as increasing staffing pressures on transmission and distribution system operators calls for action. Therefore, Member States should provide indicative projections of workforce needs in the energy sector, including for skilled energy and network-related professions, and to outline measures to address those needs, which may include training, upskilling and reskilling. In order to ensure adequate skilled staff, the Member States should rely on the Commission’s support in ensuring training, upskilling and reskilling in grid-related skills. |
Or. en
Amendment 13
Proposal for a directive
Recital 25
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (25) Due the urgency in deploying energy infrastructure, the importance of streamlining authorisation procedures and the fact that environmental assessments represent the step with the longest duration in authorisation procedures, it matters to minimise such assessments without jeopardising the protection of the environment. The refurbishment, modernisation or repowering of existing transmission and distribution system infrastructure, and the construction of new distribution system infrastructure, are projects which generally entail minimal environmental impacts. Refurbishment, modernisation or repowering projects are routinely of limited size and affect only part of existing assets for which environmental impacts have been previously assessed. As a result, the impacts of such projects are often limited to those of construction works, with the operation of the asset having the same, or even a lesser, impact than the operation of the project it targeted. Distribution systems on the other hand, due to the smaller size of their projects, lower voltage of their assets and tendency to be developed in built areas closer to consumers tend not to have significant environmental impacts. As such, to accelerate the deployment of the electricity system infrastructure and achieve climate neutrality and renewable energy targets, Member States should be allowed to justifiably exempt, under certain conditions, the projects mentioned in this recital from environmental impact assessments and appropriate assessments and the assessment of their implications on species protection pursuant to Article 12(1) of Directive 92/43/EEC17 and to Article 5 of Directive 2009/147/EC18 . | (25) Due the urgency in deploying energy infrastructure, the importance of streamlining authorisation procedures and the fact that environmental assessments represent the step with the longest duration in authorisation procedures, it matters to minimise such assessments without jeopardising the protection of the environment. The refurbishment, modernisation or repowering of existing transmission and distribution system infrastructure, and the construction of new distribution system infrastructure, are projects which generally entail minimal environmental impacts. Refurbishment, modernisation or repowering projects are routinely of limited size and affect only part of existing assets for which environmental impacts have been previously assessed. As a result, the impacts of such projects are often limited to those of construction works, with the operation of the asset having the same, or even a lesser, impact than the operation of the project it targeted. Distribution systems on the other hand, due to the smaller size of their projects, lower voltage of their assets and tendency to be developed in built areas closer to consumers tend not to have significant environmental impacts. As such, to accelerate the deployment of the electricity system infrastructure, enable the electrification of industry and digitalisation of the economy and achieve climate neutrality and renewable energy targets, Member States should be allowed to justifiably exempt, under certain conditions, the projects mentioned in this recital from environmental impact assessments and appropriate assessments and the assessment of their implications on species protection pursuant to Article 12(1) of Directive 92/43/EEC17 and to Article 5 of Directive 2009/147/EC18 . |
| 17 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1992/43/oj). | 17 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1992/43/oj). |
| 18 Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7, , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/147/oj). | 18 Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7, , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/147/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 14
Proposal for a directive
Recital 25 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (25a) One of the environmental assessments contributing to long authorisation procedures when deploying energy infrastructure is the assessment mandated under Directive 2000/60/EC, despite the fact that grid infrastructure projects are usually unlikely to result in deterioration of a body of surface or groundwater. In order to significantly speed up the authorisation procedure without jeopardising the protection of the environment, transmission projects may be exempted from these assessments, provided that mitigation measures constitute an inherent component of the project. |
Or. en
Amendment 15
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (27a) The legally binding energy efficiency first principle is to be applied consistently to grid infrastructure planning to maximise the use of existing grid infrastructure in the most cost-effective way. Grid-enhancing technologies, hardware and software solutions that increase the capacity and efficiency of transmission infrastructure can deliver 20 to 40% additional capacity gains using existing infrastructure1a. | |
| 1a Source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2025/772854/EPRS_BRI(2025)772854_EN.pdf https://www.acer.europa.eu/monitoring/MMR/electricity_infrastructure_2024 |
Or. en
Amendment 16
Proposal for a directive
Recital 29
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (29) Lack of resources in national authorities and the limited digitalisation of permitting procedures results in delays in the permitting of natural gas facilities, hydrogen production facilities, and hydrogen system infrastructure. Member States should ensure that such authorities have adequate human, financial and technical resources, including skills and digital management tools and systems that enable them to render decisions within the deadlines provided in the Directive. | (29) Lack of resources in national authorities and the limited digitalisation of permitting procedures results in delays in the permitting of natural gas facilities, hydrogen production facilities, and hydrogen system infrastructure. Member States should ensure that such authorities have adequate human, financial and technical resources, including skills and digital management tools and systems that enable them to render decisions within the deadlines provided in the Directive. To ensure the necessary financial resources, Member States should make use of relevant Union funding instruments. |
Or. en
Amendment 17
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point 10f a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (10fa) ‘non-wire solutions’ means investments in the energy infrastructure in electricity, which can increase the available grid capacity or improve the efficiency of grid operation by deploying grid enhancing technologies, and any other resource or technology that reduce the need for grid expansion, including digital solutions; |
Or. en
Amendment 18
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point 10f b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (10fb) ‘share of the benefits of renewable projects’ means the equitable redistribution of economic benefits generated throughout all stages of the project lifecycle to local communities hosting or affected by renewable energy installations, including financial or ownership-based forms, such as participation through energy communities, as well as contributions to the local economy; |
Or. en
Amendment 19
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15c – paragraph 6
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 6. Member States shall endeavour not to designate large areas where the installation of renewable energy plants and their related infrastructure is legally or de facto restricted due to environmental reasons, including protection of landscape, unless they can demonstrate that those types of plants and their related infrastructure would result in irreversible damage in the area which cannot be mitigated or compensated for during the environmental assessment pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EU and, where relevant, the appropriate assessment pursuant to Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC; | 6. Member States shall not designate large areas where the installation of renewable energy plants and their related infrastructure is legally or de facto restricted due to environmental reasons, including protection of landscape, unless they can demonstrate that those types of plants and their related infrastructure would result in irreversible damage in the area which cannot be mitigated or compensated for during the environmental assessment pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EU and, where relevant, the appropriate assessment pursuant to Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC; |
Or. en
Justification
The effectiveness of Renewable Acceleration Areas introduced under Article 15c of the Renewable Energy Directive is barrier to ensure faster and shorter permitting deadlines. The current implementation has shown that its application has been uneven across Member States. In particular, the absence or insufficient designation of Renewable Acceleration Areas may result in large parts of national territories being treated, in practice, as de facto “no-go zones” undermining the objective of facilitating the timely deployment of renewable energy projects.
Amendment 20
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15d – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. Member States shall adopt measures to ensure that a share of the benefits of renewable energy projects with an installed capacity above 10 MW is passed on, directly or indirectly, to local citizens and communities in proximity to those projects. | 3. Member States shall adopt measures to ensure that an equitable share of the benefits of renewable energy projects with an installed capacity above 3 MW is passed on, directly or indirectly, to local citizens and communities in proximity to or otherwise affected by those projects, including households affected by energy poverty or vulnerability, as well as the expected local industrial development and employment associated with such projects. Those measures shall deliver economic benefits, prioritising lower electricity bills for households and businesses in affected communities, introducing a resource rent, namely a fixed share per kWh renewable energy produced in the local community, or enabling community ownership of the energy generating assets, and the energy produced by those assets through renewable energy communities. |
Or. en
Amendment 21
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15d – paragraph 3 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3a. Member States shall identify the public likely to be affected, including residents, civil society organisations, local businesses, and municipalities representing local communities, taking into account the type, scale, geographical and environmental impact of the renewable energy project. Member States shall establish minimum standards for benefit sharing and appropriate criteria to assess the effectiveness of those measures. |
Or. en
Amendment 22
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15d – paragraph 3 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3b. The Commission shall develop guidelines on benefit sharing to support Member States establishing standards and criteria, taking into account existing best practices, establishing key principles and baseline common standards for fair community engagement and benefit sharing in renewable energy projects. |
Or. en
Amendment 23
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15d – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Member States shall designate and finance an independent facilitator to promote dialogue between the project developer and the general public for renewable energy projects with an installed capacity above 10MW. The facilitator shall only intervene upon request by any of the relevant parties and shall: | Member States shall ensure that local communities have access to clear, accessible and reliable information, such as through the use of single digital contact point, on the permitting process, their rights, and benefit sharing measures. Project promoters and local communities shall engage with a view to reaching an agreement on benefit sharing measures related to the project. If such agreement cannot be found, Member States shall designate and finance an independent and technically competent facilitator to promote dialogue between the project developer and the general public for renewable energy projects with an installed capacity above 3MW. The facilitator shall only intervene upon request by any of the relevant parties, including citizens and energy communities, and shall: |
Or. en
Amendment 24
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15d – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (aa) provide information on citizens’ rights and on opportunities to participate in co-ownership schemes, through for instance renewable or citizens energy communities, where relevant. |
Or. en
Amendment 25
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15d – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point b
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) engage to find solutions to address potential concerns raised by local communities. | (b) engage to find solutions to address potential concerns raised by local communities, municipalities and other relevant local stakeholders, including, where relevant, concerns related to landscape, local socio-economic effects and public health. |
Or. en
Amendment 26
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 15d – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Member States may rely on existing national procedures in place of the facilitator where they can demonstrate that such procedures are equally effective in ensuring independence, transparency, and meaningful participation, such as national, regional or local authorities with the necessary knowledge and skills serving as facilitators. |
Or. en
Amendment 27
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16 – paragraph 3a – subparagraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Member States shall set up a single digital portal at national level for all the steps of the permit-granting procedures for renewable energy, storage and grid projects. | Member States shall set up a single digital portal at national level for all the steps of the permit-granting procedures for renewable energy, storage, grid projects and recharging stations, serving as a single-entry point for applicants and ensuring the coordinated handling of applications across all competent authorities. |
Or. en
Amendment 28
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16 – paragraph 3a – subparagraph 1 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Such a system shall be built, to the greatest extent possible, on existing national platforms and available data infrastructures, in order to avoid duplication, ensure efficiency and ensure interoperability with relevant administrative systems, including existing portals of system operators. It shall be designed to enable seamless communication between competent authorities through standardised interfaces. |
Or. en
Amendment 29
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16 – paragraph 3a – subparagraph 2
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Applicants shall submit permit applications and all relevant documents required for the permit-granting procedure only through the single digital portal. The single digital portal shall automatize the attribution of permit applications to the competent authorities, which shall process the relevant applications and documents in electronic form and interact with the applicants directly in the single digital portal. | Member States shall ensure that permitting procedures are fully digital by default, using structured and machine-readable data formats and interoperable systems. Applicants shall submit permit applications and all relevant documents required for the permit-granting procedure only through the single digital portal. The single digital portal shall automatize the attribution of permit applications to the competent authorities, which shall process the relevant applications and documents in electronic form and interact with the applicants directly in the single digital portal. Access to the portal shall be granted to competent authorities and relevant project developers. Access to information contained therein shall be governed by applicable Union and national rules on public access to documents, ensuring the protection of commercially sensitive and other confidential information. |
Or. en
Amendment 30
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point c
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16c – paragraph 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. Where the repowering of wind energy installations increases the total capacity of the installation without using additional land surface and complies with the applicable environmental mitigation measures established for the original wind energy installation, the project shall be exempt from any applicable requirements to carry out a screening process pursuant to Article 16a(4), to determine whether the project requires an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Article 4(2) of Directive 2011/92/EU or Article 5 of Regulation [xxxxx] of the European Parliament and of the Council, or to carry out an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Article 4(1) of Directive 2011/92/EU.; | 4. Where the repowering of wind energy installations increases the total capacity of the installation without the use of significant additional land surface and without significantly increasing the height of the existing wind installation, while complying with the applicable environmental mitigation measures established for the original wind energy installation, the project shall be exempt from any applicable requirements to carry out a screening process pursuant to Article 16a(4), to determine whether the project requires an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Article 4(2) of Directive 2011/92/EU or Article 5 of Regulation [xxxxx] of the European Parliament and of the Council, or to carry out an environmental impact assessment pursuant to Article 4(1) of Directive 2011/92/EU.’; |
Or. en
Amendment 31
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 9
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16i – paragraph 2
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Member States shall not require any administrative permit, including on environmental aspects, with the exception of grid connection permits, for the installation of recharging stations with a total installed capacity of 100 kW or less. By way of derogation from Article 2(1) of Directive 2011/92/EU, the installation of those stations shall be exempt from the requirement, where applicable pursuant to Article 2(1) of that Directive, to carry out a dedicated environmental impact assessment. Member States shall restrict the application of this subparagraph in Natura 2000 areas and other areas under national protection schemes and cultural or historical heritage protected areas. | 2. Member States shall not require any administrative permit, including on environmental aspects, with the exception of grid connection permits, for the installation of recharging stations with a total installed capacity of 150 kW or less. By way of derogation from Article 2(1) of Directive 2011/92/EU, the installation of those stations shall be exempt from the requirement, where applicable pursuant to Article 2(1) of that Directive, to carry out a dedicated environmental impact assessment. Member States shall restrict the application of this subparagraph in Natura 2000 areas and other areas under national protection schemes and cultural or historical heritage protected areas. |
Or. en
Amendment 32
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 9
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 16i – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. Member States shall ensure that the permit-granting procedures, including grid connection permits and, where required, environmental assessments, shall not exceed six months for recharging stations with a total installed capacity above 100 kW. | 3. Member States shall ensure that the permit-granting procedures, including grid connection permits and, where required, environmental assessments, shall not exceed six months for recharging stations with a total installed capacity above 150 kW. |
Or. en
Amendment 33
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Within the deadlines set out in Article 16a(1), Article 16b(1), and paragraph 1 of this Article, the system operator shall choose one of the following actions: | 2. Within the deadlines set out in Article 16a(1), Article 16b(1), Article 16h(3), Article 16i(3) and paragraph 1 of this Article, the system operator shall offer the following options, provided that it has received sufficient information from other relevant system operators on available capacity at connection points regardless of whether this is used for supply or feed-in: |
Or. en
Amendment 34
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – point a
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) where there is sufficient capacity and the requested connection does not affect grid stability, reliability and safety, accept the requested grid connection and grant the connection, | (a) where there is sufficient grid capacity and the requested connection does not endanger grid stability, reliability and safety, the system operator shall accept the requested grid connection and grant the connection, |
Or. en
Amendment 35
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – point b
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) where there is insufficient grid capacity, propose, where technically possible, a flexible connection agreement in accordance with Article 6a of Directive (EU) 2019/944. | (b) where there is insufficient grid capacity, the system operator shall propose, where technically possible, a flexible connection agreement in accordance with Article 6a of Directive (EU) 2019/944 or, on justified grounds of safety concerns or technical incompatibility of the system components, an alternative grid connection point, and an alternative provisional date for the grid connection. |
Or. en
Amendment 36
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 17 – paragraph 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. Where a proposal for an agreement referred to in paragraph 2, point (b), is rejected by the project developer, the system operator shall, on justified grounds of safety concerns or technical incompatibility of the system components, propose an alternative grid connection point, an alternative provisional date for the grid connection, or, if not possible, reject the connection request. | 3. Only where a proposal for an agreement referred to in paragraph 2, point (b), is rejected by the project developer, the system operator shall, on justified grounds reject the connection request. |
Or. en
Amendment 37
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Directive (EU) 2018/2001
Article 17 – paragraph 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. The lack of reply by the distribution system operator within the deadline established in paragraph 1, point (a), shall result in the connection permit being considered as granted, provided that the capacity of the solar energy equipment, the energy storage or the recharging stations does not exceed the available existing capacity of the connection to the distribution grid.. | 4. The lack of reply by the distribution system operator within the deadline established in paragraph 1, point (a), shall result in the connection permit being considered as granted for installations that already have an existing connection to the distribution grid, provided there are no technical incompatibilities of the system components and that the requested capacity of the new solar energy equipment, the energy storage or the recharging stations does not exceed the available existing capacity of the connection to the distribution grid. Where duly justified on the grounds of extraordinary circumstances proven to be beyond the control of the distribution system operator, they may extend the period by up to one month. |
Or. en
Amendment 38
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph – point -1 (new)
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 2 – point 60 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (-1) In Article 2, the following point is inserted: | |
| "(60a) ‘anticipatory investment’ means investment that proactively addresses expected developments, looking beyond immediate needs of generation or demand, assuming with sufficient level of certainty that new generation and demand will materialise, notwithstanding potential low utilisation in the short term." |
Or. en
Amendment 39
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| To that end, Member States shall identify capacity and staffing needs in authorities responsible for electricity grid planning and permitting, including relevant national, regional and local authorities, and take appropriate measures to address identified gaps, including through targeted recruitment and the upskilling and reskilling of staff. |
Or. en
Amendment 40
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| The Commission shall evaluate the progress made by Member States and publish its assessment. In the absence of progress, the Commission may propose corrective measures to support Member States in their implementation by assisting them in reforming and streamlining their permitting procedures. |
Or. en
Amendment 41
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 c (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Member States shall make effective use of funding available under the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP) to support this measure. In addition, Member States shall promote and facilitate access for relevant stakeholders to funding available under the European Competitiveness Fund, in particular under the policy window ‘Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation’, and for relevant skills initiatives, to support this measure. |
Or. en
Amendment 42
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 d (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Where appropriate, Member States may introduce proportionate, non-discriminatory mechanism, such as a fee, from project developers or transmission and distribution operators, to support administrative capacity for permitting provided that such mechanisms are designed to avoid cost-passing to end-consumers and be cost-effective for project developers and system operators economically dependent on decisions taken by the national authorities. The mechanism shall be set up without prejudice to the organisation of Member States administrative structures and the allocation of competences under national law. Where such mechanisms are applied to electricity projects, Member States shall ensure consistency with the treatment of other sectors subject to comparable permitting requirements. |
Or. en
Amendment 43
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 3 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3a. National regulatory authorities (NRAs) shall ensure that the duration of their authorisation and remuneration methodology calculation procedures for proposed new distribution and transmission grid projects does not extend beyond the deadline set out in Article 8(3), point (b), applicable to authorisation procedures carried out by Member State authorities. |
Or. en
Amendment 44
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Until climate neutrality is achieved at Union level, Member States shall ensure that, in the necessary case-by-case assessments in the context of authorisation procedures, the planning, the construction and operation of transmission or distribution system infrastructure are presumed as being in the overriding public interest and serving public health and safety when balancing legal interests in individual cases for the purposes of Article 6(4) and Article 16(1), point (c), of Directive 92/43/EEC, Article 4(7) of Directive 2000/60/EC and Article 9(1), point (a), of Directive 2009/147/EC. Member States may, in duly justified and specific circumstances, restrict the application to certain parts of their territory, to certain types of technology or to projects with certain technical characteristics. | Until climate neutrality is achieved at Union level, Member States shall ensure that, in the necessary case-by-case assessments in the context of authorisation procedures, the planning, the construction and operation of transmission or distribution system infrastructure, including the refurbishment, modernisation, repowering and operations of existing grid infrastructure, are presumed as being in the overriding public interest and serving public health and safety when balancing legal interests in individual cases for the purposes of Article 6(4) and Article 16(1), point (c), of Directive 92/43/EEC, Article 4(7) of Directive 2000/60/EC and Article 9(1), point (a), of Directive 2009/147/EC. Member States may, in duly justified and specific circumstances, restrict the application to certain parts of their territory, to certain types of technology or to projects with certain technical characteristics. |
Or. en
Amendment 45
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 9 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Until climate neutrality is achieved at Union level, by way of derogation from Article 2(1) and Article 4(1) and 4(2) of Directive 2011/92/EU and Annex I, point 20, and Annex II, point (3)(b), of that Directive, and by way of derogation from Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC, Member States shall ensure that the competent authority may, under justified circumstances, including the need to accelerate the deployment of the electricity system infrastructure to achieve climate neutrality and renewable energy targets, exempt the refurbishment, modernisation, or repowering of existing transmission and distribution system infrastructure, provided it does not entail the use of additional space and complies with the applicable environmental mitigation measures established for the original installation, from: | Until climate neutrality is achieved at Union level, by way of derogation from Article 2(1) and Article 4(1) and 4(2) of Directive 2011/92/EU and Annex I, point 20, and Annex II, point (3)(b), of that Directive, and by way of derogation from Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC, Member States shall ensure that the competent authority may, under justified circumstances, including the need to accelerate the deployment of the electricity system infrastructure to achieve climate neutrality and renewable energy targets, exempt the refurbishment, modernisation, or repowering of existing transmission and distribution system infrastructure, provided that such refurbishment, modernisation or repowering does not entail the use of significant additional land surface and the height of the wind installations is not significantly increased, and provided that the refurbishment, modernisation or repowering complies with the applicable environmental mitigation measures established for the original installation, from: |
Or. en
Amendment 46
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 8 – paragraph 11 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 11a. When competent authorities assess whether the planning, construction and operation of transmission and distribution system infrastructure is expected to cause deterioration of a body of surface or groundwater under Directive 2000/60/EC, they shall take into consideration the fact that those projects are usually unlikely to result in such deterioration and thus impacts can be presumed to be neglected and projects may be exempted from the assessments under Article 4(1) of Directive 2000/60/EC, provided that mitigation measures constitute an inherent component of the project. |
Or. en
Amendment 47
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 40a – paragraph 2 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2a. The energy efficiency first principle shall be applied across all planning frameworks to maximise the use of existing grid infrastructure. Non-wire solutions and grid optimisation measures, such as grid enhancing technologies, reconductoring, and storage, shall therefore be duly assessed before grid expansion decisions are taken. |
Or. en
Amendment 48
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive (EU) 2019/944
Article 40a – paragraph 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. When elaborating the ten-year network development plan, the transmission system operator shall fully take into account the potential for the use of demand response, energy storage facilities or other resources as alternatives to system expansion, as well as expected consumption, trade with other countries and investment plans for Union-wide and regional networks. | 4. When elaborating the ten-year network development plan, the transmission system operator shall fully take into account the potential for the use of demand response, energy storage facilities, non-wire solutions or grid enhancing technologies or other resources as alternatives to system expansion, as well as expected consumption, trade with other countries and investment plans for Union-wide and regional networks. |
Or. en
Amendment 49
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
Directive (EU) 2024/1788
Article 8 – paragraph 5b – subparagraph 1 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| To that end, Member States shall identify capacity and staffing needs in authorities responsible for electricity grid planning and permitting, including relevant national, regional and local authorities, and take appropriate measures to address identified gaps, including through targeted recruitment and the upskilling and reskilling of staff. |
Or. en
Amendment 50
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
Directive (EU) 2024/1788
Article 8 – paragraph 5b – subparagraph 1 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| The Commission shall evaluate the progress made by Member States and publish its assessment. In the absence of progress, the Commission may propose corrective measures to support Member States in their implementation by assisting them in reforming and streamlining their permitting procedures. |
Or. en
Amendment 51
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
Directive (EU) 2024/1788
Article 8 – paragraph 5b – subparagraph 1 c (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Member States shall make effective use of funding available under the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP). In addition, Member States shall promote and facilitate access for relevant stakeholders to funding available under the European Competitiveness Fund in particular under the policy window ‘Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation’ and for relevant skills initiatives, to support this measure. |
Or. en
Amendment 52
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
Directive (EU) 2024/1788
Article 8 – paragraph 5b – subparagraph 1 d (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Where appropriate, Member States may introduce proportionate and non-discriminatory mechanism, such as a fee, from project developers or transmission and distribution operators, to support administrative capacity for permitting provided that such mechanisms are designed to avoid cost-passing to end-consumers and be cost-effective for project developers and system operators economically dependent on decisions taken by the national authorities. The mechanism shall be set up without prejudice to the organisation of Member States administrative structures and the allocation of competences under national law. Where such mechanisms are applied to electricity projects, Member States shall ensure consistency with the treatment of other sectors subject to comparable permitting requirements. |
Or. en
Amendment 53
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by [two years after its adoption] at the latest. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions. | Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by [one year after its adoption] at the latest. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions. |
Or. en
Explanatory statement 8 paragraphs
Europe is facing its second fossil fuel crisis in just a few years. This time its due to the war in the Middle East and the derived ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
As of Monday 13 April the current conflict has been ongoing for 44 days. According to the Commission, the Union’s bill for fossil fuel import increased by over EUR 22 billion in the 44 days, without any additional fuel being bought. This is the price of Europe’s energy dependence. Europe imported 98 percent of all oil and gas used in Member States in 2022. It is clear, Europe is extremely vulnerable to external shocks in the global market for energy. Europe was finding itself in the same situation in 2022 when Russian unlawfully invaded Ukraine.
However, not only is Europe’s dependence on third countries a great security risk, but it is also putting its competitiveness at risk. As stated by both Draghi and Letta, electricity prices in Europe remain 2-3 times higher than in the US, while the electricity retail prices in 2024 were, 2.2 times higher than in the US and twice those in China. Without ensuring lower energy prices in Europe, we risk losing strategically important industry and quality jobs to strategic rivals. This is an immense security risk for Europe. Furthermore, the high and volatile energy prices are extremely challenging to many European citizens. In 2024, 9.2 percent of Europeans could not keep their home adequately warm.
Europe is not only facing an energy crisis and decreasing competitiveness, but also a global climate crisis that is worsening. We have agreed to reduce 55 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 90 percent by 2040. Electrification and further deployment of renewables is key to reach these targets.
One major bottleneck to solve the above-mentioned challenges is the insufficient capacity on Europe’s electricity grids and the slow build-out of renewable energy. Today, it takes up to nine years to get the necessary permitting for a renewable energy project and on average five years for transmission grids. This is while we know that the only way to reduce Europe’s energy independence and tackle the climate crisis is by ensuring more clean home-grown energy and the built-out of grid infrastructure to enable electrification. Therefore, the Commission proposal on acceleration of permit-granting procedures is very welcome and a matter of great urgency.
In general, the draft report agrees with the Commission proposal to accelerate permitting procedure without risking environmental protection. The permitting procedures for both the deployment of renewables and grid infrastructure must be adapted to avoid unnecessary delays where the environmental impact is minimal or non-existing, this goes for small-scale projects and repowering of existing projects. Therefore, the draft report includes an exemption to the assessment mandated under Directive 2000/60/EC for the deployment of electricity grids, provided that mitigation measures constitute an inherent component of the project. The targeted amendments to the permit-granting procedures must be done in combination with ambitious deadlines that ensures national permitting authorities and system operators are treating permit applications with the necessary urgency, why the draft report also supports the introduction of overriding public interest and tacit approval outside renewable acceleration areas. To ensure the most cost-efficient use of resources, the legally binding Energy Efficiency First principle must be applied consistently to grid infrastructure planning to maximise the use of existing grid infrastructure.
However, strict deadlines and targeted amendments to environmental assessments is not enough to sufficiently accelerate permitting procedures. Other big barriers causing the delay in permitting procedures must be tackled as well. One of these barriers is the lack of public acceptance for deploying renewable energy projects across Europe which can result in long litigation procedures. Therefore, the draft report improves the Commission proposal ensuring an effective and proper engagement of local communities and sets in place equitable benefit-sharing measures.
The draft report also tackles the issues of insufficient digitalisation in permit-granting procedures and effective use of digital tools throughout the process. Making the permitting procedures digital by default and ensuring all relevant actors have access to the necessary information and the procedures is key to avoid unnecessary time wasted in inefficient procedures. Another underlying problem is the lack of adequate staffing in national permitting authorities. This is a challenge of such scale it must be prioritised by relevant Union funding as well as other measures that ensures the applicable deadlines are kept, and the process is cost-efficient for both project developers and system operators.
Annex: declaration of input 4 paragraphs
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he included in his report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the draft report, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) |
| CAN Europe |
| Energy Cities |
| Rescoop |
| Eurelectric |
| Confederation of Danish Industry |
| CBrain |
| Bentley Systems |
| Transport & Environment |
| Solar Power Europe |
| Wind Europe |
| Statkraft |
| Zelestra |
| EU DSO Entity |
| European Association of Distribution System Operators (E.DSO) |
| Enel |
| RTE-Bruxelles |
| Energinet |
| ENTSO-E |
| TENNET |
| GIGA (Green Industrial Grids Association) |
| Future Cleantech Architects |
| GE Vernova |
| Green Power Denmark |
| Client Earth |
| European Environmental Bureau |
| Hydrogen Europe |
| European Sea Ports Organisation (EPSO) |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.