REPowerEU Plan

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 18 May 2022, setting out its REPowerEU Plan in response to the disruption caused in the global energy market by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Further information:

In March 2022, the European Council agreed to phase out the European Union's dependency on Russian energy imports as soon as possible. Drawing on a Communication published leading up to that summit, the Council invited the European Commission to table a detailed REPowerEU plan. The roadmap aims primarily at reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels by fast forwarding the clean transition and joining forces to achieve a more resilient energy system and an effective Energy Union.

Building on the Fit for 55 package, this plan puts forward a number of additional set of actions to save energy, diversify supplies, quickly replace fossil fuels by accelerating the clean energy transition, and smartly combine investments and reforms. The package adopted by the Commission on this occasion includes the following initiatives:

• Communication: EU 'Save Energy';
• Joint Communication: EU external energy engagement in a changing world;
• Communication: EU Solar Energy Strategy;
• Proposal for a Directive amending Directives on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, energy performance of buildings and energy efficiency;
• Recommendation on on speeding up permit-granting procedures for renewable energy projects and facilitating Power Purchase Agreements;
• Proposal for a Regulation on REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans;
• Guidance on Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) in the context of REPowerEU.

• Alternative Source 1

Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)230: Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication - Implementing the REPowerEU Action Plan: investment needs, hydrogen accelerator and achieving the bio-methane targets https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:230:FIN

European Commission: Press Release, 18/05/2022: REPowerEU: A plan to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast forward the green transition https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_3131

European Commission: Questions and Answers on the REPowerEU Communication (18 May 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_22_3132

European Commission: Press statement by President von der Leyen on the Commission's proposals regarding REPowerEU, defence investment gaps and the relief and reconstruction of Ukraine (18 May 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_22_3164

European Commission: Opening remarks by Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Simson at the press conference on the REPowerEU Plan (18 May 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_22_3184

Greens/EFA EP Group: Press Release, 18/05/2022: REPowerEU: Commission takes steps towards ending dependence on Russian oil and gas https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/repowereu-commission-takes-step-towards-ending-dependence-on-russian-oil-and-gas

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News

Politico, 16/05/2022: Dumping Russian energy raises climate questions https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-climate-europe-gas-oil-import-green-energy-repowereu/

EUObserver, 18/05/2022: Commission grilled on RePowerEU €210bn pricetag https://euobserver.com/green-economy/154985

EurActiv, 18/05/2022: EU tables €300bn plan to ditch Russian fossil fuels, speed up green transition https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/eu-tables-e300bn-plan-to-ditch-russian-fossil-fuels-speed-up-green-transition/

EUObserver, 18/05/2022: EU to boost solar and renewables rollout to cut Russian gas https://euobserver.com/green-economy/154986

Politico, 18/05/2022: Brussels spells out plan to end dependence on Russian energy https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-plan-end-dependence-russia-energy/

EurActiv, 19/05/2022: EU urges building insulation push in bid to end reliance on Russian gas https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/eu-urges-building-insulation-push-in-bid-to-end-reliance-on-russian-gas/

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Commentary and Analysis

EPRS: At a Glance, May 2022: Preparing for 'RepowerEU': Action for more secure, more affordable and cleaner energy https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2022)729421

Corporate Europe Observatory, 18/05/2022: RePowerEU plans misleading and heavily influenced by fossil fuel industry https://corporateeurope.org/en/2022/05/repowereu-plans-misleading-and-heavily-influenced-fossil-fuel-industry

European Environmental Bureau (EBB): News, 18/05/2022: REPowerEU paves the way for renewables but also undermines environmental legislation https://eeb.org/repowereu-paves-the-way-for-renewables-but-also-undermines-environmental-legislation/

European Consumer Organisation (BEUC): Press Release, 18/05/2022: REPowerEU will help accelerate the energy transition but consumers still face practical barriers at the local level https://www.beuc.eu/publications/repowereu-will-help-accelerate-energy-transition-consumers-still-face-practical/html

Bruegel: Blog, 18/05/2022: REPowerEU: will EU countries really make it work? https://www.bruegel.org/2022/05/repowereu-will-eu-countries-really-make-it-work/

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