EP endorses key energy reforms for greater consumer protection and more hydrogen production in Europe

The EU climate and energy transition and our full energy independence from Russia will not thrive without an efficient electricity market and enabling legislation for a renewables-centred energy system. That´s why Renew Europe welcomes today’s plenary backing of the trilogue agreement on the revised Electricity Market Design (EMD), which aims to provide more stability in electricity prices for consumers in the event of future energy crisis and enhance the uptake of renewables while making the EU's industry clean and more competitive.

The Renew Europe negotiating team strongly advocated to place a market-based approach at the heart of the reform, without undermining the principles of flexibility and competition, to achieve a truly European future-proof electricity system integration, based on diverse infrastructure projects that produce, store, and distribute energy efficiently. Moreover, our political group upheld the right to a wider choice of fixed-rate contracts to bring stability and predictability to consumers’ energy bills, as well as measures to curb short-term price peaks through power purchase agreements for industries and businesses, specially SMEs.

Renew Europe MEP Morten Helveg Petersen (Det Radikale Venstre, Denmark), Vice-Chair of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and Renew Europe shadow on EMD, stated:

"We're speeding up the shift to clean energy by putting the market first. Citizens are better shielded from sudden price changes, and investors in green technologies can count on steady and predictable conditions. This reform is a big win for ensuring energy security, keeping prices stable, and meeting climate goals."

Likewise, Renew Europe embraces EP’s approval of the interinstitutional deal on the recast of the gas and hydrogen markets regulation and directive. The revised legislation is an important part of the overall Union framework to decarbonise our energy industry, develop resilient transmission and distribution networks and ramp up the production of renewable gases and the hydrogen market, which is essential to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors.

Renew Europe MEP Klemen Grošelj (Gibanje Svoboda, Slovenia), shadow rapporteur on the gas and hydrogen markets regulation, declared:

"Affordable energy for citizens and businesses, energy security and efficiency through system integration: these are the main goals of the new framework that will drive the development of low-carbon gas and hydrogen markets. A well-functioning cross-border hydrogen market will lower energy costs for consumers, reduce dependence on third countries and speed up the energy transition to achieve our climate objectives."

Renew Europe MEP Claudia Gamon (NEOS, Austria), shadow rapporteur on the gas and hydrogen directive, stated:

“The new legislation will help our citizens to be less dependent on natural gas but also on hydrogen imports. Through local botton-up approach we ensure that green hydrogen is best used in hard to abate sectors and where more efficient alternatives exist, they should be primarily used. It is thanks to Renew that, because of this achievement, we now have a more future proof legislation that will help to protect consumers and plays a major role in the energy transition. It is now high time for implementation in order to give full guarantees to all concerned stakeholders on the direction of the development of the Union´s energy policy”.