EC evaluates national energy and climate plans

According to the European Commission’s assessment of national energy and climate plans, EU member states have made progress toward their 2030 targets. In all, emissions have fallen by 37 percent since 1990, while the economy has grown by almost 70 percent.

How has the EC evaluated the National Energy and Climate Plans?

The European Commission’s assessment shows that the EU is on track to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by about 54 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and achieve a share of at least 42.5 percent of energy from renewable sources. The assessment shows significant progress toward our 2030 climate and energy targets.

According to the European Commission, member states are demonstrating political determination to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, increase resilience and security of energy supply and infrastructure, accelerate integration of the internal energy market and support those most in need with investment and skills development.

The European Commission’s assessment provides a solid basis for discussions on the next steps towards decarbonizing the EU by 2040 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Following the evaluation of national energy and climate plans, the European Commission intends to intensify its work with member states to close existing gaps and implement additional guidelines identified in the assessment.

National energy and climate plans – genesis

The Regulation on Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action requires member states to regularly submit national energy and climate plans outlining how they intend to achieve the 2030 climate and energy targets and the goals of the energy union. These goals are critical to ensuring a fair, resilient and climate-neutral Europe, and to target much-needed climate and energy transition investments.

For the first time, the national energy and climate plans were finalized in 2020, but had to be updated to take into account the agreed legislative package and targets for 2030, the so-called “Ready for 55” package.

Draft updated national energy and climate plans were to be submitted by June 30, 2023. In December 2023. The European Commission published an EU-wide assessment, accompanied by country-specific assessments and recommendations – we wrote about this in a previous article: national energy and climate plans. Taking into account the recommendations, member states were required to submit their final National Energy and Climate Plans by June 30, 2024.

Poland among the marauders

Poland submitted the preliminary version of the draft update of the National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030, called the National Energy and Climate Plan to 2030, to the European Commission in March 2024. In October 2024, public consultations began, and in February 2025, the document was supplemented with an environmental impact forecast.

Poland, along with Belgium and Estonia, has still not submitted its final energy and climate plans, according to information released by the European Commission. The Commission has called on the three countries to submit the documents without delay. According to information obtained from the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the delay is due to the need to consider the very large number of comments, suggestions and wishes that have come down through public consultations.

The National Energy and Climate Plans will be reviewed for the post-2030 period as part of the upcoming review of the Energy Union Governance Regulation.

What regulations will complement national energy and climate plans?

Strategic initiatives such as the Clean Industry Pact and the Affordable Energy Roadmap will complement the National Energy and Climate Plans by mobilizing investments in industrial decarbonization and clean technologies, making optimal use of Europe’s indigenous renewable energy potential and energy-efficient solutions, which will help ensure lower and more stable energy prices over time.

How do the National Energy and Climate Plans affect citizens?

According to the assessment, most member states explain their commitment to phasing out solid fossil fuels and discuss the impact of the transition on employment, skills and training needs.

In their National Energy and Climate Plans, member states also address energy poverty and identify income support measures. A number of plans include effective strategies to support vulnerable groups: in the form of financial assistance, energy bill subsidies and energy conservation programs to help low-income households.