Acceleration of permit-granting procedures
PURPOSE: to accelerate the permit-granting procedures for renewable energy projects, electricity infrastructure and related energy projects.
PROPOSED ACT: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.
BACKGROUND: slow and complicated permit-granting procedures, including for grid connections, is one of the main factors causing delays in the development of energy projects. Electricity transmission grids take around 10 years for completion, of which permitting accounts for more than half of the time needed. Similarly, permitting of renewable energy projects can still take up to nine years depending on the Member State and the technology involved. Storage installations can take from one to seven years depending on the technology. The permit-granting procedures for construction or transformation of recharging stations along highways and in depots can take up to two years in some Member States.
Slow permitting is due, inter alia, to incoherent administrative systems among multiple authorities, inadequate staffing in authorities, the duration of environmental assessments, lack of public acceptance, limited digitalisation and data availability as well as administrative and judicial challenges.
In recent years, new measures have been introduced at EU level to accelerate the permit-granting procedures for renewable energy projects and, to some extent, infrastructure projects. However, a further simplification and shortening of the administrative permit-granting procedures in a coordinated and harmonised manner is necessary in order to ensure that the Union reaches its ambitious climate and energy targets for 2030 and the objective of climate neutrality by 2050.
CONTENT: the proposal amends the Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001, the Electricity Market Directive (EU) 2019/944 and the Net-Zero Industry Act (EU) 2024/1788. It aims to accelerate the permitting of energy infrastructure projects, including transmission and distribution grids, storage and recharging stations and renewable energy projects in order to facilitate their fast deployment. It forms part of the Commission’s broader efforts to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, accelerate the clean energy transition and reduce administrative burdens.
The main measures include:
- accelerated permitting procedures: Member States must streamline administrative processes and introduce shorter, legally binding deadlines for granting permits for renewable energy projects, electricity grids, stand-alone energy storage other than hydrogen storage or recharging stations;
- simplification of administrative requirements: the proposal reduces unnecessary documentation and procedural steps, encourages the use of digital applications and sets up a single digital portal at national level for all the steps of the permit-granting procedures for renewable energy, storage and grid projects allowing project developers to deal with a single competent authority;
- better coordination between authorities: national, regional and local authorities are required to coordinate more effectively, avoiding duplication of environmental assessments and improving cooperation throughout the permit-granting process;
- priority for strategic projects: projects that contribute significantly to the deployment of renewable energy, grid expansion or the Union's net-zero objectives benefit from simplified and accelerated treatment;
- legal certainty and predictability: clear procedural rules and deadlines aim to provide greater certainty for investors while ensuring compliance with environmental legislation and public participation processes.
The proposal is expected to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy capacity and supporting electricity infrastructure, facilitate investment in clean technologies, strengthen the security and resilience of the EU energy system, and help achieve the Union's climate and energy targets while reducing administrative costs for businesses and public authorities.