EC calls on Romania, 25 member states to transpose reinforced rules to promote renewable energy

The European Commission has sent letters of formal notice to 26 member states, Romania included, for failing to communicate to the European Commission the full transposition of the provisions of the amending Directive (EU) 2023/2413 into national law.

The 26 member states are Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.

Sending the formal notices mean opening infringement procedures.

The new rules aim to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy in all sectors of the economy, not only in the power sector, but also and especially in those sectors where progress is more difficult like heating and cooling, buildings, transport and industry, where we have also set new or strengthened targets. They set important horizontal and cross-cutting measures to promote the deployment of renewables, such as the strengthening of guarantees of origin, facilitating energy system integration through the promotion of electrification and renewable hydrogen, and safeguards to ensure a more sustainable bioenergy production.

According to EC, the implementation of the legislation is instrumental to accelerate the roll-out of homegrown clean energy, to further reduce GHG emissions in the energy sector - which currently contributes over 75% of total GHG emissions in the Union-, and to strengthen energy security. It will also contribute to lowering energy prices and enhancing the competitiveness of the EU economy.

The member states had to notify the transposition of the Directive by May 21, 2025, except for some provisions related to permitting, which were already due by July 1, 2024.

To date, only Denmark notified full transposition of the Directive by the legal deadline. The EuropeanCommission is therefore sending letters of formal notice to 26 Member States. They now have two months to respond, complete their transposition and notify their measures to the Commission. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.