Leading European energy associations WindEurope, SolarPower Europe, and Eurelectric have issued a joint statement calling for urgent action to accelerate renewable energy permitting across the EU.
The letter warns that continued delays threaten the bloc’s 2030 climate and energy goals.
In a statement ahead of this week’s Implementation Dialogue with EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, the three organisations criticised Member States for failing to fully implement the permitting provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), which had a transposition deadline of June 2024.
The associations argue that while RED III contains the right tools to streamline permitting, many national governments have instead introduced new layers of complexity, delay, and legal uncertainty.
With the Emergency Regulation set to expire at the end of June, the groups warn of increased legal uncertainty in countries that have not implemented RED III.
They are calling for robust enforcement, administrative capacity building, and a focus on practical implementation measures, including digitised one-stop shops, adherence to permitting time limits, and parallel processing.
“Permitting has to be fast, digital and streamlined,” the statement says, adding that this must apply equally to renewable energy projects, grid infrastructure, storage, and flexibility assets.
While advocating for simplification, the associations stress that this must not equate to deregulation.
Instead of revisiting existing EU laws, they urge policymakers to uphold the legal framework already agreed. “This is not the time for new laws. It’s time to deliver on what has already been agreed.”
Overall, the associations’ joint letter urges that, without decisive action, Europe risks falling short of its clean energy deployment targets – 750GW of solar and 425GW of wind by 2030 – jeopardising its competitiveness and energy security.
