Renewable energy materials: EU progress towards 2020 target

When the European Commission published its report on progress towards the 2020 target for renewable energy, it invited Member States to:

• implement the National Renewable Energy Action Plans;

• streamline infrastructure planning regimes while respecting existing EU environmental legislation and strive to conform to best practice;

• make faster progress in developing the electricity grid to balance higher shares of renewable energy;

• develop cooperation mechanisms and start integrating renewable energy into the European market;

• ensure that any reforms of existing national support schemes will guarantee the stability for investors, avoiding retroactive changes.

This blog post is a compilation of available materials from the Commission.


European Commission press releases

In customary manner, the European Commission presented two press releases on 31 January 2011 regarding the report about renewable energy, one with a brief overview (IP) and another one with some background (MEMO):

Renewable Energy Targets: Commission calls on Member States to boost cooperation (IP/11/113; published in English, French and German, the Commission working languages)

Commission Communication on renewable energy (MEMO/11/54; published only in English)


Communication COM(2011) 31

The centrepiece is the communication from the Commission:

Renewable Energy: Progressing towards the 2020 target; Brussels, 31.1.2011 COM(2011) 31 final (15 pages)

The communication on renewable energy is available through the legal portal Eur-Lex in 22 official EU languages.


Accompanying documents

The accompanying documents from the Commission staff are of interest to energy specialists:

Report on the operation of the mass balance verification method for the biofuels and bioliquids sustainability scheme in accordance with Article 18(2) of Directive 2009/28/EC; Brussels, 31.1.2011 SEC(2011) 129 final (in English only)

Recent progress in developing renewable energy sources and technical evaluation of the use of biofuels and other renewable fuels in transport in accordance with Article 3 of Directive 2001/77/EC and Article 4(2) of Directive 2003/30/EC; Brussels, 31.1.2011 SEC(2011) 130 final (In the absence of a bibliographic notice, we only know that there is this English version)

Review of European and national financing of renewable energy in accordance with Article 23(7) of Directive 2009/28/EC; Brussels, 31.1.2011 SEC(2011) 131 final (only in English)


Latest: Energy ministers

From the meeting of the energy ministers in the TTE Council 28 February 2011 we know the following:

Renewable energy - progressing towards the 2020 target

The Commission briefed ministers on the progress made towards the 2020 target for renewable energy and presented its communicaiton adopted in January (5965/11)

[link in the original]

Source: TTE conclusions, page 11, in:

3072nd Council meeting Transport, Telecommunications and Energy: ENERGY; Brussels, 28 February 2011 (Council document 6950/11)



Ralf Grahn


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