While the past year has been marked by the adoption of major energy- and climate-related texts, the beginning of 2024 should see the launch of a number of initiatives aimed at consolidating the foundations that have been laid, in terms of renewable energies, with a target of 42.5% of the energy mix (see EUROPE 13283/21), electricity market reforms (see EUROPE 13314/4) and the transition of the European energy system to facilitate the penetration of hydrogen, in line with the agreement reached on the ‘gas’ package (see EUROPE 13302/7, 13310/5).
In 2024, the emergency measures adopted at the end of 2022 to deal with the surge in energy prices following the outbreak of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine will continue, as agreed by the Energy Council in December 2023 (see EUROPE 13317/1).
At this meeting, discussions were initiated on a new CO2 emissions reduction target for 2040, aiming for a 90% reduction (see EUROPE 13308/30). A communication from the European Commission on this subject is scheduled for 6 February.
On the same day, the Commission’s Vice-President, Maroš Šefčovič, will present a communication on industrial carbon management in the EU, encompassing carbon capture, use and storage (see EUROPE 13318/30).
With regard to nuclear power, a new industrial alliance dedicated to small modular reactor (SMR) technology should see the light of day in early 2024, as announced in November by the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson (see EUROPE 13312/23).
The work initiated in 2023 on network development will also be continued, in line with the action plan for networks also presented by the Commission in November (see EUROPE 13302/29).
The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU will be seeking the adoption of conclusions on the development of integrated cross-border land and marine infrastructures (see EUROPE 13320/9).
It will also work to achieve the objectives of offshore wind energy and promoting international trade in hydrogen, in close collaboration with the Commission on the European Hydrogen Bank (see EUROPE 13318/30).
In addition, one of the last major texts still under discussion (see EUROPE 13303/3), which the Council of the EU hopes to finalise before the end of the legislature, in agreement with the European Parliament, concerns the establishment of a new European voluntary certification framework for carbon removals (see EUROPE 13317/6).
This initiative, proposed by the European Commission at the end of 2022, aims to develop a mechanism to measure, track and certify carbon removals in order to promote their use, strengthen stakeholder confidence and prevent greenwashing.
The proposed regulation would cover various methods of carbon removal, including industrial technologies and agricultural practices. Certified activities will have to comply with the key criteria of quantification, additionality, long-term storage and sustainability (abbreviated as QU.ALITY).
Lastly, in 2024 the Member States are expected to submit the final, updated version of their Energy-Climate Plan (NECP) on 30 June. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys and Nithya Paquiry)