Publications Archive

The EU wants to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas to net zero by 2050, and by 2030 get them down by 55% compared to 1990 levels. To achieve this ambitious goal, the number of energy-efficient building renovations is to at least double by 2030. "Expensive subsidies and small-scale individual regulatory measures should be dispensed in favour of an emissions trading system as the main instrument," demands Martin Menner of the Centre for European Policy (cep).

The EU Commission wants to achieve the goal of climate neutrality of the EU by 2050, e.g., through a comprehensive hydrogen strategy. The aim is to promote hydrogen produced without CO₂ and with low CO₂ emissions. A cepPolicyBrief examines the Commission's communication on the Hydrogen strategy.

The pricing of CO₂ emissions in the transport and building sectors dominates the climate policy debate both in France and in Germany. With a cepInput, cep and cepFrance jointly analyse and evaluate strategies and instruments of carbon pricing in both countries, highlighting differences and similarities.

The cep evaluates in five cepAdhocs Ursula von der Leyen's central work assignments to the new EU commissioners. The second one deals with the topic "A European Green Deal", for which Frans Timmermans will be responsible as Executive Vice-President.

EU gas supply rules have been comprehensively reformed over the last three years. The cep has assessed the reform in an input.

EU legislation on the internal electricity market has been comprehensively reformed. cep gives the following assessment of the reform.

The EU has passed a new mechanism for “Governance of the Energy Union” in order to regulate energy and climate policy in the EU. It aims to achieve the EU’s energy and climate targets and to coordinate the measures of the EU and its Member States post-2021. cep provides an assessment of the new rules in an Input.

EU rules on support for renewable energy sources have been comprehensively reformed for the period 2021-2030. cep has assessed the individual measures in an Input.

The EU wants to oblige Member States to undertake closer regional cooperation in the avoidance and management of electricity crises. In cep’s view, this could avoid severe economic damage in Member States in the event of an electricity crisis. The duty to manage electricity crises primarily with measures which are compatible with the internal electricity market also facilitates efficient pricing on the wholesale electricity market.

The EU Commission’s proposed reform of the EU Energy Agency ACER and the creation of additional organisations aims to improve regulation of cross-border electricity networks and the wholesale electricity market. cep criticises the Commission’s proposals.