Energy Strategy 2020 (Communication)

The EU Energy Strategy 2020 is focusing on five „priorities“: (1) increase in energy efficiency, (2) building a “pan-European integrated energy market“, (3) consumer protection and safety and security standards, (4) further development of energy technologies and (5) strengthening the external dimension of the EU energy market.

The Commission criticises the current EU energy policy in that the internal energy market is still fragmented and the efforts by Member States to increase energy efficiency are “disappointing“. Moreover, there is a lack of energy system investments of EUR 1 trillion and technological progress.

cepPolicyBrief

The planned improvement of coordination and the future-oriented planning of cross-border infrastructure development in the EU is necessary in order to implement the internal energy market and to ensure that the infrastructure can keep apace with the politically driven development of renewable energies. As energy efficiency should be achieved at the lowest possible costs, it is to be welcomed that the Commission wishes to apply market-oriented instruments, such as the labelling of the energy consumption of products. The proposed “streamlining” of the permitting procedures for infrastructure projects of “European interest” potentially interferes strongly with the Member States’ planning right and the participation rights of parties affected and the public.

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