Review of the Governance Regulation on the Energy Union and Climate Action – Public consultation launched

The Commission has launched a 12-week open public consultation and call for evidence to help shape the upcoming revision of the Governance Regulation - the legislative backbone of the Energy Union and the strategic framework for achieving the EU climate and energy policy objectives on the path to climate neutrality. With the legislative proposal scheduled for publication in the last quarter of 2026 as announced in the Commission Work Programme, the input from this consultation will feed into the Commission's preparation. The consultation closes on 12 March 2026.

This exercise marks the first concrete step in the process of preparing the energy and climate policy strategy for the period after 2030. It follows on from last year's review report on the functioning of the Regulation, which concluded that the Regulation has played an important role in keeping the EU on track to meet its 2030 climate and energy targets by making planning and reporting more coherent, integrated and streamlined, but nevertheless identified several areas for further improvement. At the same time, the political guidelines for 2024-2029 of the second von der Leyen Commission include an ambition "to develop the governance needed for a true Energy Union".

The revision of the Governance Regulation aims to align the framework more closely with Europe's strategic priorities, including affordability, competitiveness, decarbonisation, energy security and strategic autonomy. It will also seek to further streamline planning and reporting obligations and reduce administrative burden, supported where appropriate by further digitalisation. In addition, the process will work to reinforce the synergies between planning, reporting and investment, supporting the delivery existing objectives and providing the basis for progress towards the EU's climate and energy objectives for the decade ahead after 2030.

Adopted in 2018, the Regulation on the Energy Union and Climate Action (EU) 2018/1999 established a new governance mechanism to help the EU and its Member States reach the 2030 climate and energy targets and meet the Paris Agreement goals. The Regulation aims to facilitate and monitor strategic planning, through National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), covering the areas of decarbonisation, energy efficiency, energy security, the internal energy market and research, innovation and competitiveness. It also aims to ensure EU's compliance with international reporting obligations under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.

Last year's evaluation noted that the Regulation's objectives remain highly relevant, also against the backdrop of current socio-economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges. It concluded that the introduction of the NECPs has improved strategic planning, but also identified areas for improvement. These included turning the NECPs into real investment plans, increasing coherence with other policy areas such as industry, environment, just transition, agriculture, transport, climate resilience and macro-economic policy. The evaluation also pointed to areas where reporting obligations can be streamlined and emphasized the need to increase engagement with stakeholders.

Related Links:

• Update of the governance of the Energy Union and climate action
• Energy union

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