The European Parliament’s committee on industry, research and energy adopted today its position on the revision of the Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) framework, following a broad political agreement among the pro-European groups negotiated under the leadership of the Socialists and Democrats. The S&D Group secured a key strategic objective for the EU: moving European energy infrastructure planning away from a system led mainly by network operators towards a process where the European Commission sets the strategic direction, with greater transparency and a stronger focus on the public interest.
The revised TEN-E rules strengthen the European Commission’s role in developing the Union's strategic scenario that will underpin infrastructure needs, cost-benefit analyses and future network development planning. They also reinforce independent scrutiny by giving the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), the EU agency responsible for coordinating the work of national energy regulators, a stronger role in assessing infrastructure needs and ensuring that identified gaps are effectively addressed.
Tsvetelina Penkova, leading negotiator on the file in the European Parliament’s committee on industry, research and energy, said:
“Europe needs the right infrastructure in the right places, based on transparent assumptions, robust data and a clear assessment of what citizens and our economy actually need. The Commission will now have a stronger role in defining the strategic framework, while ACER will provide greater independent scrutiny. This is an important step towards making our infrastructure planning more democratic, transparent and accountable. The new rules should also help reduce electricity price disparities among member states and regions, ensuring that all European citizens can benefit from a more integrated energy market, stronger security of supply, and fairer access to affordable energy, regardless of where they live.
“At the same time, we made sure that accelerating the construction of energy infrastructure did not come at the expense of environmental protection. The compromise preserved environmental assessments, public participation and safeguards for biodiversity and Natura 2000 areas. We also secured stronger consideration of affordability, flexibility, storage and the impact of infrastructure investments on consumers.
“This agreement provides a stronger foundation for a European energy system that is more interconnected, resilient and fit for the clean energy transition, while making sure that the infrastructure we build serves people’s needs and keeps energy affordable.”
