On Monday 11 May, the European Commission launched a public consultation on its roadmap for the future EU ‘smart sector integration strategy’.
Scheduled for 24 June, according to a provisional version of the Commission’s revised work programme (see EUROPE 12481/8), this strategy will aim to accelerate the decarbonisation of the EU by creating better links between different sectors such as gas, electricity, transport, buildings and industry.
According to the Commission, smart sector integration involves electrification, greater use of renewable and decarbonised gases such as hydrogen and a more circular energy system.
The strategy will aim to identify a set of actions that the Commission should take in order to remove the obstacles that currently prevent the exploitation of the benefits and synergies of sectoral integration, taking into account the principle of subsidiarity, the roadmap states.
These actions could include non-legislative measures, as well as possible legislative measures.
They apply to: (1) the development of a more circular energy system by using various waste resources for energy purposes and applying the principle “energy efficiency first principle'; (2) accelerating the transition to an energy system largely based on renewable energies and electrification; (3) promoting renewable and decarbonised gases in sectors with a high energy carbon content; (4) improving market rules to enable the integration of all energy decarbonised sources; (5) supporting a more integrated and digital energy infrastructure.
The public consultation on the roadmap will close on 8 June.
To access the consultation and see the roadmap: https://bit.ly/2WI0LB2 (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)