Overview
- Brussels proposes legally enshrined powers to set a pan‑EU grid expansion scenario every four years and to intervene where national plans are absent.
- Draft rules cap approvals for grid projects at two years with automatic consent if regulators fail to decide, alongside options such as digital one‑stop permitting portals and “positive silence.”
- The package seeks amendments to TEN‑E, the Renewable Energy Directive, the Energy Markets Directive and the Gas Market Directive, and introduces cost‑sharing to fund cross‑border projects.
- Funding includes an initial €30 billion to 2034 while leaked drafts point to a larger near‑term package of about €1.2–€1.4 trillion, with official estimates of €2.0–€2.7 trillion needed through 2050.
- The plan targets price gaps and renewable curtailment by boosting interconnectors and prioritizing ‘first ready, first serve,’ as industry backs faster build‑out and environmental groups question looser assessments and cost impacts.