Commission Recommendation of 18 June 2019 on the draft integrated National Energy and Climate Plan of Spain covering the period 2021-2030
Date: 2019-06-18
Institutions: Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission
Subjects: EU energy policy, Spain, adaptation to climate change, energy consumption, energy diversification, energy efficiency, energy research, energy saving, regional cooperation, renewable energy








C_2019297EN.01003301.xml










3.9.2019   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 297/33






COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
of 18 June 2019
on the draft integrated National Energy and Climate Plan of Spain covering the period 2021-2030
(2019/C 297/09)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, amending Regulations (EC) No 663/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives 94/22/EC, 98/70/EC, 2009/31/EC, 2009/73/EC, 2010/31/EU, 2012/27/EU and 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 2009/119/EC and (EU) 2015/652 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1), and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,
Whereas:






(1)


Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, each Member State is required to submit to the Commission a draft of its integrated national energy and climate plan covering the period from 2021 to 2030 in accordance with Article 3(1) and Annex I of that Regulation. The first drafts of integrated national energy and climate plans had to be submitted by 31 December 2018.










(2)


Spain submitted its draft integrated national energy and climate plan on 22 February 2019. The submission of this draft plan represents the basis and first step of the iterative process between the Commission and Member States for the purpose of the finalisation of the integrated national energy and climate plans and their subsequent implementation.










(3)


Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, the Commission is required to assess the draft integrated national energy and climate plans. The Commission made a comprehensive assessment of the Spanish draft integrated national energy and climate plan, taking into consideration the relevant elements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999. This assessment (2) is published alongside the present recommendation. The below recommendations are based on that assessment..










(4)


In particular, the Commission's recommendations may address (i) the level of ambition of objectives, targets and contributions with a view to collectively achieving the Energy Union objectives and, in particular, the Union's 2030 targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency as well as the level of electricity interconnectivity that the Member State aims for in 2030; (ii) policies and measures relating to Member State- and Union-level objectives and other policies and measures of potential cross-border relevance; (iii) any additional policies and measures that might be required in the integrated national energy and climate plans; (iv) interactions between and consistency of existing and planned policies and measures included in the integrated national energy and climate plan within one dimension and among different dimensions of the Energy Union.










(5)


In developing its recommendations, the Commission considered, on the one hand, the need to add up certain quantified planned contributions of all Member States in order to assess the ambition at Union level, and, on the other hand, the need to provide adequate time for the Member State concerned to take due consideration of the Commission's recommendations before finalising its national plan.










(6)


The Commission's recommendations with regard to the Member States' renewable ambitions are based on a formula set out in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 which is based on objective criteria.










(7)


With regard to energy efficiency, the Commission's recommendations are based on the assessment of the national level of ambition put forward in the draft integrated national energy and climate plan, compared to the collective level of efforts needed to reach the Union's targets, taking into account the information provided on specific national circumstances, where relevant. The final national contributions in the area of energy efficiency should reflect the cost-effective potential for energy savings and be supported with a robust long-term building renovation strategy and measures to implement the energy savings obligation stemming from Article 7 Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (3). Member States should also demonstrate that they have properly taken into account the energy efficiency first principle, by explaining notably how energy efficiency contributes to the cost-effective delivery of the national goals of a competitive low-carbon economy, security of energy supply and to address energy poverty.










(8)


The Governance Regulation requires Member States to provide a general overview of the investment needed to achieve the objectives, targets and contributions set out in the integrated national energy and climate plan, as well as a general assessment on the sources of that investment. The national energy and climate plans should ensure the transparency and predictability of national policies and measures in order to ensure investment certainty.










(9)


In parallel, as part of the 2018-2019 European Semester cycle, the Commission has put a strong focus on Member States' energy and climate related investment needs. This is reflected in the 2019 Country Report for Spain (4) and in the Commission's recommendation for a Council Recommendation to Spain (5), as part of the European Semester process. The Commission took into account the latest European Semester findings and recommendations in its assessment of the draft integrated national energy and climate plans. The Commission's recommendations are complementary to the latest country-specific recommendations issued in the context of the European Semester. Member States should also ensure that their integrated national energy and climate plans take into consideration the latest country-specific recommendations issued in the context of the European Semester.










(10)


In addition, the Governance Regulation requires each Member State to take due account of any recommendations from the Commission to its draft integrated national energy and climate plan to be submitted by 31 December 2019 and, if the Member State concerned does not address a recommendation or a substantial part thereof, that Member State should provide and make public its reasons.










(11)


Where applicable, Member States should report the same data in their integrated national energy and climate plans and updates in later years as they report to Eurostat or the European Environment Agency. The use of the same source and, where available, of European statistics, is also essential to calculate the baseline for modelling and projections. Using European statistics will allow for a better comparability of the data and the projections used in the integrated national energy and climate plans.










(12)


All elements of Annex I of the Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 are to be included in the final integrated national energy and climate plan. In this context, the macroeconomic and, to the extent feasible, the health, environmental, employment and education, skills and social impacts of the planned policies and measures should be assessed. The public and other stakeholders are to be engaged in the preparation of the final integrated national energy and climate plan. These and other elements are described in detail in the staff working document published alongside this Recommendation (6).










(13)


There is a broad coherence of the objectives within and between the dimensions, in particular on decarbonisation and energy efficiency. In the final plan, Spain should also describe the interlinkages between planned policies and measures and further quantify these where possible. A focus could be the synergies between the decarbonisation, the energy security and internal market dimensions with the energy efficiency first principle, by explaining how energy efficiency contributes to the cost-effective delivery of the national goals of a competitive low-carbon economy, security of energy supply and its link to addressing energy poverty. The interactions of the planned policies related to the phase out of coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants, including the strategy for the use of nuclear fuel cycle facilities existing in the country, the impact of climate change risks on energy supply, and the impact of the increased penetration of renewable energy on the internal market are also important elements to be addressed in the final plan. The objectives under the research, innovation and competitiveness dimension need to underpin the efforts planned for the other Energy Union dimensions.










(14)


The final integrated national energy and climate plan would benefit from presenting a comprehensive analysis on where the low-carbon technologies sector is currently positioned in the global market, highlighting areas of competitive strengths and potential challenges and pointing at measurable objectives for the future and policies and measures to achieve them, making appropriate links to enterprise and industrial policy. It could also benefit from a better interaction with the circular economy, emphasising its greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential.










(15)


The Commission's recommendations to Spain are underpinned by the assessment of Spain's draft integrated national energy and climate plan which is published alongside this Recommendation (7),




HEREBY RECOMMENDS SPAIN TAKES ACTION TO:






1.


Underpin the welcome level of ambition of a 42 % renewable energy share for 2030 as Spain's contribution to the Union's 2030 target for renewable energy by detailed and quantified policies and measures that are in line with the obligations requested in Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and Council (8) and enabling a timely and cost-effective achievement of this contribution. Include an indicative trajectory that reaches all the reference points pursuant to Article 4(a)(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999. Provide further details on measures to reduce administrative burden and on the enabling frameworks for renewable self-consumption and renewable energy communities in line with Articles 21 and 22 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001.










2.


Explore further on how the current measures would need to be further developed to realise their ambition towards achieving the expected energy savings. Such measures will have to deliver a multiplication of energy savings compared to current achievements and the challenges of such significant upscaling would need to be properly taken into account.










3.


Further develop measures supporting the energy security objectives on diversification and reduction of energy dependency, including measures ensuring flexibility, as well as information on phase-out from nuclear.










4.


Define forward-looking objectives and targets concerning market integration, in particular measures to address the foreseeable evolution of the tariff deficits in the electricity and gas sectors and potential impact from the measures envisaged. Outline a strategy and timeline for progressing towards fully market based prices.










5.


Further clarify national objectives and funding targets in research, innovation and competitiveness, specifically related to the Energy Union, to be achieved between now and 2030, so that they are readily measurable and fit for purpose to support the implementation of targets in the other dimensions of the integrated national energy and final plan. Underpin such objectives with specific and adequate policies and measures, including those to be developed in cooperation with other Member States, such as the Strategic Energy Technology Plan.










6.


Intensify the existing good regional cooperation with France and Portugal to address notably internal energy market and energy security areas, in particular cross-border and cross regional interconnections. Consider strengthening measures related to regional cooperation in the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency.










7.


List all energy subsidies, including in particular for fossil fuels, and actions undertaken as well as plans to phase them out.










8.


Integrate just and fair transition aspects better, notably by providing more details on social, employment and skills impacts of planned objectives, policies and measures. More specifically, the plan should address the impacts on the coal and carbon-intensive regions, and integrate the national strategy for the energy transition. Include a dedicated assessment of energy poverty issues, along with any related objectives or specific policies or measures as required by the Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.





Done at Brussels, 18 June 2019.


For the Commission

Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE

Member of the Commission





(1)  OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 1.

(2)  SWD(2019) 262.

(3)  Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency, amending Directives 2009/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC (OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 1).

(4)  SWD (2019) 1008 final.

(5)  COM (2019) 509 final of 5 June 2019.

(6)  SWD(2019) 262.

(7)  SWD(2019) 262.

(8)  Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 82).