On 13 May 2025, the EC launched an open public consultation on the legal framework for European electricity networks. The feedback received will be used in the Commission’s work on the European Electricity Grid Package, which is scheduled to be published at the end of 2025. Stakeholders have until 8 July 2025 to submit their contributions via the links provided.
Given the critical role of networks in integrating affordable renewable energy and supporting electrification, a European Networks Package was announced as part of the ‘EU Competitiveness Compass’ and the ‘Clean Industry Deal’. The key objective of this initiative will be to help modernise and expand networks to support rapid electrification and speed up the issuance of permits, as highlighted in the letter of mandate to Commissioner Jørgensen. Ensuring a well-integrated and optimised European energy network is crucial to accelerating a competitive, cost-effective and clean energy transition in support of the EU’s 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation efforts.
Without investment in network expansion, modernisation, digitalisation and flexibility, delays in connection will increase and renewable energy sources and electrification will stall. In May 2022, the Commission estimated that €584 billion of investment in the network is needed before the end of this decade to achieve the REPowerEU targets.
In November 2023, the Commission already published an Action Plan for the Electricity Network aimed at accelerating the expansion, modernisation and digitalisation of networks. The European Electricity Network Package will build on this by providing more concrete details on support for the modernisation of existing infrastructure to make it more efficient, and the expansion of networks based on optimised network planning and cross-sector integration.
The Action Plan for Affordable Energy of February 2025 also states that the European Network Package will include legislative proposals to speed up the granting of permits for networks, energy storage and renewable energy sources.
