The fifth interinstitutional negotiations on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) took place on Monday 6 March. The co-legislators were expected to discuss a number of key features of the directive, such as the acceleration of permits for renewable energy projects under the REPowerEU plan, transport provisions and overall renewable energy development targets.
The discussions were to specifically include the development and coordination of a renewable energy deployment map, the scope and exemptions for ‘go to/acceleration areas', public participation, the mechanism for detecting undesirable effects and the principle of ‘positive silence’, which allows a permit application to be approved should the competent authority not respond within a certain period of time, as well as the issue of projects of major public interest and deadlines in the permit process.
The co-legislators were also expected to discuss transport sector provisions for the use of liquid and gaseous fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) such as renewable hydrogen (see EUROPE 13120/6). According to our information, the discussions did not ultimately focus on this last point. A new date will have to be set, a priori, to address the specific issue of transport, including maritime transport, before the sixth interinstitutional negotiations that are scheduled for 29 March.
According to a parliamentary source, the negotiations will include the calculation of the share of energy that is produced from renewable sources. The EU Council wants to achieve a target of 40% of energy from renewable sources in the EU’s final consumption by 2030. The European Parliament, however, has decided upon a 45% share of renewable energy. It is possible that the interinstitutional negotiations could be concluded at this sixth meeting. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)