Solar Energy Policy in the EU and the Member States, from the Perspective of the Petitions Received

Upon request by the PETI Committee, the Policy Department on Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament commissioned the present study in order to assess a series of petitions received in relation to solar energy policies in Member States and their compatibility with EU laws and policies.

The petitions examined raise three main concerns, i.e. policy risk in support systems, self-consumption and industrial policy in EU Member States, notably Spain, Belgium, Germany and Italy.

The analysis concluded that renewables’ support policies should be stable and avoid frequent or retroactive changes; that the regulated extension of self-consumption is accompanied by measures to ensure that 'prosumers' contribute to financing grid costs and other costs; and that industrial policy for renewables is stable and predictable.

European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union: Publications available via the EU Bookshop http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/directorate-general-for-internal-policies-of-the-union-cbf.cKABstF7wAAAEjwYYY4e5K/

uropean Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service: Study, June 2016: Solar Energy Policy in the EU and the Member States, from the Perspective of the Petitions Received http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/556968/IPOL_STU(2016)556968_EN.pdf

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