EU proposals on energy infrastructure criticised
Published:
The European Commission has proposed new legislation regarding energy. The purpose of the legislation includes making it possible to accelerate the expansion of the common energy infrastructure at EU level and to make permit procedures for energy projects more efficient.
For example, the proposals involve more centralised planning, changed rules for congestion income, also known as “bottleneck income”, and changed routines of relevant authorities in the member states.
The Riksdag has examined the proposal on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity, that is the principle that decisions in the EU should be taken as close to citizens as possible. The EU should only take action if the result is more effectively achieved at EU level than by the individual member states alone.
The Riksdag considers that the proposals conflict with the principle of subsidiarity as they go further than necessary. In the opinion of the Riksdag, congestion income should be allocated on the basis of national needs and priorities and not be increasingly directed toward the financing of projects at EU level. Furthermore, the Riksdag considers that the planning of electricity grids should be carried out at local, regional and national level where knowledge of conditions and needs are greatest. Otherwise, there would be a risk of a less flexible and appropriate development of energy grids with member states less able to determine their own energy mix.
The Riksdag has decided to send its views on the proposal to the Presidents of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission in a reasoned opinion.
Committee report (In Swedish): Subsidiaritetsprövning av kommissionens förslag om riktlinjer för transeuropeisk energiinfrastruktur och påskyndandet av tillståndsförfaranden (NU26)