The European Union threatens most countries with fines due to the slow expansion of renewable energy sources
The European Commission has called on the Czech Republic and 26 other member states to implement rules that should expedite the permitting process for renewable energy projects. The Czech Republic, like other countries, now has two months to start the transposition, otherwise it faces a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice and a fine.
Most EU states, including the Czech Republic, according to the European Commission, have not yet implemented laws that would allow for faster expansion of renewable energy sources. Brussels has now sent a letter to the states urging them to implement these rules. Otherwise, the EU may initiate so-called infringement proceedings, which could result in a lawsuit before the European Court of Justice and a fine.
The Commission has already sent formal requests to a total of 26 EU member states. This is a consequence of non-compliance with the requirements of the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED), which was adopted as part of the European Union's efforts to decarbonize the energy sector and achieve climate goals. The directive, labelled 2023/2413, came into force in November 2023 and aims to ensure faster and easier permitting of renewable energy projects.
One of the key requirements of the directive is the introduction of measures to simplify and accelerate permitting processes for the construction of renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar power plants. It also includes projects needed to integrate this additional energy into the power grid, including related infrastructure. Member states were required to implement these measures into their national law by July 1, 2024.
A significant aspect of the directive is clear time limits for permitting processes, which are focused on specific technologies or types of projects. To speed up approval, the role of a single point of contact for submitting applications is strengthened, and the directive also stipulates that projects related to renewable energy sources and related infrastructure should be considered of overriding public interest.
As of the commencement of proceedings, only one country, Denmark, has announced full implementation of the required provisions by the statutory deadline. On the contrary, other member states, including the Czech Republic, did not meet this obligation on time. Formal requests have been sent, among others, to Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, 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.
Member states now have a two-month deadline to respond and complete the transposition of the required measures into their national legal systems. If the Commission does not receive a satisfactory response or if the necessary transposition is not carried out, it may decide to issue a reasoned opinion. This could lead to further legal action and potential financial penalties for the affected countries.
The European Union sees the implementation of these rules as a key tool for meeting ambitious climate and energy policy goals. According to the RED directive, supporting renewable energy sources should be a priority, leading to higher energy independence for the EU and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Commission expects that faster and easier permitting processes will lead to an increase in investment in renewable energy sources and accelerate their expansion.
However, the slow implementation of these rules by member states points to a number of complications that individual governments face. These include primarily legislative processes, insufficient infrastructure, and concerns about the social and environmental impacts of new projects. For the Czech Republic and other states, the pressure from the European Commission thus represents a challenge that will require a quick response and effective implementation of the required changes.
