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On 14 February, the ITRE Committee published the draft report on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, prepared by MEP Markus Pieper (EPP, Germany). The report aims to reduce red tape in the uptake of renewable energy and the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure. It includes provisions to make Member States invest in and support at least two cross-border projects related to clean energy supply or transmission. The Rapporteur proposes to amend the Commission proposal by increasing greenhouse gas reduction targets for renewable fuels and electricity in transport from 13% to 20%. Moreover, the Rapporteur aims to simplify and speed up permit delivery for wind farms and expansion of electricity grid networks by labelling them as projects of public interest.  The Rapporteur also proposes provisions to increase imports of renewable electricity and green hydrogen, including import targets per Member State.

Earlier this week MEP Niels Fuglsang (S&D, Denmark) presented the ITRE draft report on the Energy Efficiency Directive.  The Rapporteur proposes to increase the EU target for energy efficiency to at least 43% of final energy consumption by 2030. Furthermore, he plans to increase the yearly energy savings obligation of Member States, and to introduce a carbon factor in the calculation of the national contributions.  Additionally, the Rapporteur proposes to increase the scope of the energy efficiency first principle to cover all relevant energy related investment decisions, including transport. The draft report also proposes the introduction of a common EU methodology with a minimum set of indicators that consider the wider benefits of energy efficiency. To ensure that the 2030 energy consumption reduction target is reached, MEP Fuglsang proposes two intermediate milestones (2025 and 2027) to create a linear trajectory and avoid that Member States postpone the actions required to achieve the target.