COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS European Wind Power Action Plan
Date: 2023-10-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU energy policy, auction sale, competitiveness, electrical energy, energy production, financing, investment, professional qualifications, renewable energy, wind energy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 24.10.2023  COM(2023) 669 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS European Wind Power Action Plan  
 
 
1.  INTRODUCTION 

Wind energy is renewable, abundantly available in the EU and secure. It is pivotal to meeting 
the EU’s decarbonisation objectives and delivering clean, affordable and secure electricity to 
our  households,  our  industry  and  increasingly  our  transport  sector.  The  expansion  of  wind 
energy and the wind industry across the EU will create quality jobs and enhance our energy 
security. 

The projections for EU  and global deployment of wind are bright. The EU target of at least 
42.5%  of  renewables  by  2030  will  require  the  installed  capacity  to  grow  from  204  GW  in 
2022 to more than 500 GW in 20301. Globally, annual wind capacity additions should reach at 
least  329  GW  per  year  until  2030  to  achieve  net-zero  emissions  by  2050,  more  than 
quadrupling today’s deployment levels (75 GW)2. 

Yet, the European wind industry has recently faced difficulties in operating its business. All 
largest wind turbine manufacturers reported significant operating losses in 20223. And with 16 
GW of new wind projects installed in 20224, we are nowhere near the 37 GW/year needed as 
cost-effective contribution to achieving the EU 2030 targets. 

This  situation  calls  for  immediate  action.  The  EU  cannot  double  the  pace  of  wind  energy 
deployment without a healthy, sustainable and competitive wind supply chain. And the wind 
industry  cannot  be  healthy  without  a  clear  and  secure  pipeline  of  projects,  attracting  the 
necessary financing and competing on a level playing field globally. 

Furthermore,  the  energy  crisis  following  Russia’s  full-scale  invasion  of  Ukraine  has 
underscored the risks stemming from over-reliance on a dominant foreign fossil-fuels supplier 
and  has  demonstrated  the  importance  of  wind  and  other  renewable  energy  sources  for  the 
stability and security of the energy system. In a world going through a fast green and digital 
transition, clean  technologies are  central to  European open strategic  autonomy. With  this  in 
mind,  in  her  State  of  the  Union  speech  on  13  September  2023,  President  von  der  Leyen 
recognised that the EU wind industry faces a unique mix of challenges and she announced a 
European wind power package. The objective of this action plan is to support EU companies 
in  the  wind  sector  and  improve  their  competitiveness  to  ensure  that  EU  wind  industry  can 
continue to play a key role in the green transition.  

The action plan sets out measures that should be urgently taken to achieve this objective. The 
action plan will also indirectly support other clean power sectors, including the solar industry, 
given  that  several  of  the  proposed  actions  are  of  relevance  to  all  renewable  sources.  It  is 
structured  into  six  main  pillars  of  concerted  action  by  the  European  Commission, 
Member  States  and  the  industry:  (i)  acceleration  of  deployment  through  increased 
predictability and faster permitting; (ii) improved auction design; (iii) access to finance; (iv) 
creating  a  fair  and  competitive  international  environment;  (v)  skills;  and  (vi)  industry 
engagement and Member State commitments. 

in 

the  policy  scenarios  for  delivering 

1  MIX  scenario 
the  European  Green  Deal  (available  at 
https://energy.ec.europa.eu/data-and-analysis/energy-modelling/policy-scenarios-delivering-european-
green-deal_en) 
2 IRENA World Energy Transition Outlook 2023 
3 Rystad Report (2023) The State of the European Wind Energy Supply Chain 
4 WindEurope (2023) Wind Energy in Europe-2022 Statistics and the outlook for 2023-2027 

1 

 
 
 
2.  STATE OF THE WIND INDUSTRY IN EUROPE 

Wind energy, both onshore (92% of installed wind capacity) and offshore, is already a central 
pillar in our electricity system. In 2022, it provided on average 16% of electricity consumed in 
the EU and often reaches more than 30% per day5. The technologies to harness wind energy 
developed and scaled up in Europe have become significantly cheaper over the last 10 years, 
thanks  to  innovation  and  economies  of  scale6.  In  many  parts  of  Europe,  wind  energy  is  the 
cheapest source of electricity7.  

So  far,  wind  installations  deployed  in  the  EU  have  been  provided  mainly  by  the  domestic 
wind manufacturing sector. The main European manufacturers accounted for 85% of the EU 
wind  energy  market  (94%  in  the  offshore  sector)8.  Manufacturing  of  turbines  and  their 
components  (blades,  nacelles  and  towers,  gearboxes,  foundations,  substations,  generators, 
etc.)  spans  across  the  EU.  This  makes  the  wind  manufacturing  sector  an  important  job 
provider: it is estimated  that the whole wind sector sectors offers between 240 000 and 300 

5 ENTSO-E data. 
6 Irena (2023) Renewable power generation costs in 2022. 
7  Georgakaki,  A  et  al.  (2022)  -  Clean  energy  Technology  Observatory  Overall  Strategic  Analysis  of  Clean 
Energy Technology in the European Union – 2022 Status Report. 
8  SWD(2023) 68 final of 23 March 2023. 

2 

 
 
 
 
000 direct and indirect jobs in the EU, and about 45 000 (28% of direct jobs) are located at 
turbine and component manufacturers9.  

European companies hold a significant share of the expanding global wind equipment market.  
However, this share fell from 42% in 2020 to 35% in 202210. To a large extent, this is due to 
the rapid deployment of wind energy in China which relies primarily on its growing domestic 
manufacturing  sector.  Out  of  the  world’s  10  largest  wind  turbine  manufacturing  companies 
(covering over 80% of demand for wind turbines globally), 4 have their headquarters in the 
EU, while 4 are located in China.  

European  wind  project  operators  and  developers  are  also  active  globally,  but  in  contrast  to 
wind equipment manufacturers they recorded significant profits in 2022 and in previous years. 
However,  the  problems  of  EU  manufacturers  increasingly  weigh  on  the  performance  of  EU 
wind  operators,  resulting  in,  for  example,  project  delays  or  abandonment.  Furthermore,  EU 
manufacturers are all increasingly facing access barriers in foreign markets. 

The wind industry is also confronted to a problem of access to raw materials, such as copper, 
rare earth minerals, steel, nickel, fiberglass or silicon. Europe is dependent on third countries 
on the supply of these materials, for which the demand increases with the development of the 
sector worldwide, and for which prices are subject to volatility.  

3.  MAIN  DRIVERS  BEHIND  THE  DIFFICULTIES  OF  THE  EU  WIND 

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY 

Despite  the  overall  positive  development  in  the  past,  the  European  wind  industry  currently 
faces  major  problems.  The  drivers  behind  the  difficulties  of  the  EU  wind  equipment 
manufacturers in operating their business can be divided into five main categories.  

First,  under-utilisation  of  production  capacities  driven  by  insufficient  and  uncertain 
demand  for  wind  turbines  in  the  EU.  Currently,  manufacturers  do  not  have  an  adequate 
overview  of  the  planned  wind  deployment  by  Member  States,  leading  to  difficulties  in 
planning  production  and  investments.  In  addition,  the  transport  of  wind  turbine  parts  and 
components require special permitting, which vary across Member States leading to delays in 
transporting them from their production site to the planned wind farms 

The under-utilisation is also mostly caused by slow and complex permitting for renewable 
energy projects. The industry estimates that 80 GW of wind energy capacity is going through 
permitting procedures across the EU, i.e. five times more than the total wind deployment last 
year.  Much  of  that  capacity  has  been  in  the  permitting  process  for  years  due  to  slow  and 
inefficient permitting procedures.  

Second,  access  to  raw  materials,  high  inflation  and  commodity  prices11,  combined  with 
limited hedging by wind equipment manufacturers against input price volatility, have eroded 
manufacturers’  financial  standing.  This  was  compounded  by  increasing  interest  rates  and 
difficulties to access financing.  

9 Telsnig, T. et al. Clean Energy Technology Observatory: Wind Energy in the European Union – 2022 Status 
Report  on  Technology  Development,  Trends,  Value  Chains  and  Markets,  Publications  Office  of  the  European 
Union, 
10 SWD(2023) 68 final of 23 March 2023 
11  Rystad Report (2023) The State of the European Wind Energy Supply Chain 

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Third, the design of national tenders for the development of renewable energy often does not 
appropriately reward the high environmental and social standards of European products, nor 
takes  into  account  the  need  for  supply  chain  resilience,  as  these  tenders  are  based  solely  or 
mostly on price criteria. This is the case for most auctions, though some Member States, e.g 
the  Netherlands  or  France,  have  started  to  introduce  non-price  criteria.  Some  tenders  for 
offshore wind, such  as those  organised on  the basis of  ‘uncapped  negative bidding’, lead  to 
very high bids from operators. This, coupled with cases where there are no sufficient penalties 
for  non-execution  of  projects,  increases  the  risk  for  the  full  and  timely  delivery  of  projects. 
Furthermore, there is high heterogeneity in the design of auctions across the EU. Altogether, 
this  complicates  investment  planning  by  manufacturers,  affects  the  stability  of  production 
lines, and reduces the benefits of economies of scale12. 

Fourth, pressure from international competitors on the EU wind manufacturing sector has 
increased.  For  example,  the  EU’s  trade  balance  with  China  in  the  wind  sector  has  been 
negative with a record deficit of EUR 462 million in 202213. China is an important supplier of 
raw materials and components to EU and global manufacturers but is also becoming a serious 
competitor in third country markets, which are important for European companies. Thanks to 
prices on average 20% lower than those of their European and US counterparts14, sometimes, 
according  to  the  industry,  backed  by  attractive  deferred  payments,  the  presence  of  Chinese 
companies abroad has been steadily increasing. While competition stimulates innovation and 
product improvements,  an  unlevel playing  field could  negatively affect EU wind  equipment 
manufacturers and could even reduce their competitiveness on the EU market. 

Chinese  manufacturers  have  also  benefited  from  vertically  integrated  business  models  with 
shorter supply chains owing to China’s dominance in steel production and raw materials, as 
well as possibly from highly attractive financial conditions. All this severely undermines EU 
companies’ ability to compete on a level playing field.  

And  fifth,  availability  of  skilled  workers  in  the  wind  manufacturing  sector  may  affect  the 
speed  of  increasing  European  production  capacity15.  In  offshore  wind  in  particular,  skilled 
operators  of  vessels,  cranes  or  heavy  lifts  are  hard  to  find.  The  industry  will  require  more 
workers, including engineers and tradespeople. 

It is estimated that European manufacturing can  cover most of the current demand for wind 
turbines  in  the  EU16.  But  in  order  to  maintain  their  competitiveness  in  a  growing  market 
driven  by  EU’s  onshore  and  offshore  wind  ambitions,  European  wind  manufacturers  would 
need  to  rapidly  scale  up  their  capacities.  If  this  does  not  happen,  supply  bottlenecks  could 
soon materialise leading either to slower deployment or to  an increase in imports to fill the 
gap.  

12  A  typical  example  is  the  rapid  growth of  wind  turbines, which  obliges  manufacturers to  adapt  continuously 
their production lines with new investments. 
13 JRC, Clean Energy Technologies Observatory Report 2023, forthcoming.  
14 BloombergNEF data (2023) https://about.bnef.com/blog/cost-of-clean-energy-technologies-drop-as-expensive-
debt-offset-by-cooling-commodity-prices/ 
15 See 2023 Annual report on the competitiveness of clean energy technologies (to be published on 25 October 
2023). 
16  According  to  the  Global  Wind  Energy  Council  (GWEC),  Europe  as  a  whole  has  around  30  GW  of  wind 
turbines manufacturing capacity. 

4 

 
 
 
 
4.  ACTION TAKEN SO FAR BY THE COMMISSION 

The Commission has already put forward initiatives addressing some of the key issues the EU 
wind manufacturing sector is facing.  

The revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED)17 lays down a minimum binding target of 
42.5% share of renewables by 2030 with an aspiration to reach 45%. It sets the course for a 
rapid  acceleration  of  renewable  energy  deployment,  while  taking  into  account  other  policy 
considerations such as multiple use of land. It will require a massive scale-up of renewables 
projects, driving demand for inter alia wind equipment. 

In order to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy in the short-term, the Commission 
put forward an emergency regulation on permitting18 that simplifies and shortens permitting 
procedures for renewables, including repowering as well as grids. The regulation has been in 
force since the end of 2022 and is due to expire by mid-2024. The Commission has also taken 
steps  to  simplify  and  streamline  the  permitting  procedures  for  transporting  wind  turbine 
components, which  currently require several authorisations to use highways even within the 
same Member State19. 

The  implementation  of  the  Regulation  has  varied  across  Member  States,  but  is  already 
bringing  first  results.  For  example,  following  the  entry  into  force  of  the  regulation,  in 
Germany a record volume of new permits was issued in 2023 and the repowering rate rose to 
34%,  the  highest  in  nine  years.  The  revised  RED,  when  implemented,  will  simplify  and 
shorten  permitting  procedures  in  a  more  comprehensive  and  structural  manner.  Almost  all 
Member States  are accompanying this regulatory overhaul  with permitting reforms included 
in  their  Recovery  and  Resilience  Plans,  including  in  the  recently  adopted  REPowerEU 
chapters.  The  Technical  Support  Instrument  (TSI)  Regulation20  provides  that  Member 
States can receive, through either stand-alone or multi-country projects, technical expertise for 
accelerating permitting for wind energy. Six Member States have already taken advantage of 
this  instrument  for  support  in  permitting  acceleration.  The  adopted  revision  of  the  Trans-
European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) Regulation21 also contains streamlining permitting 
provisions  for  cross-border  infrastructure  projects,  such  as  offshore  hybrid  interconnectors. 
The  TEN-E  framework  also  helps  to  implement  or  kick-start  key  cross-border  electricity 
infrastructure  projects  with  the  financial  support  from  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  for 
Energy. 

The Electricity Market Design (EMD)22 reform proposal aims to provide stable investment 
signals to renewable energy investments by promoting long-term contracting via contracts for 
difference  (CfDs)  and  power  purchase  agreements  (PPAs).  At  the  same  time,  the  proposal 
lays down rules to create a more flexible power system that can accelerate the integration of 
variable renewable energy sources, such as wind. 

17 Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council (COM/2021/557).  
18  Council  Regulation  (EU)  2022/2577  of  22  December  2022  laying  down  a  framework  to  accelerate  the 
deployment of renewable energy, OJ L 335, 29.12.2022, p. 36–44. 
19  Proposal to amend Directive 96/53/EC on maximum permitted weights and dimensions (COM (2023) 445. 
20 Regulation (EU) 2021/240 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 February 2021 establishing a 
Technical Support Instrument, OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 1–16. 
21 Regulation (EU) 2022/869 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2022 
22 COM (2023)148 final of 14 March 2023. 

5 

 
 
 
Looking specifically at the manufacturing sector of net-zero technologies, including wind, the 
Commission substantially supported its resilience with the Green Deal Industrial Plan and 
the  proposals  for  a  Net-Zero  Industry  Act  (NZIA)  and  a  Critical  Raw  Materials  Act 
(CRMA)23. The NZIA proposal, in particular, introduces sustainability and resilience criteria 
in  public  procurement  and  auctions  to  support  renewable  energy.  Furthermore,  it  will 
accelerate  permitting  for  setting  up  manufacturing  facilities,  will  enhance  upskilling  and 
reskilling and foster innovation and better coordination between Member States. The CRMA 
proposal aims to strengthen the value chain of critical raw materials, a number of which are 
used  by  the  wind  industry,  promoting  circular  economy  –  an  essential  approach  to  reduce 
dependence on raw materials – while minimising environmental impacts.  

The  revised  EU  maritime  security  strategy24  addresses  threats  against  critical  maritime 
infrastructure,  including  offshore  wind  installations,  improve  surveillance,  protection  and 
resilience of infrastructure from conventional, hybrid and cyber-attacks. 

To  support  the  investments  needed,  the  Commission,  in  addition  to  the  possibilities  for 
support  under  the  Regional  aid  Guidelines  has  also  introduced  a  new  section  in  the 
Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF) that allows until 31 December 2025 
for  investment  aid  in  the  manufacturing  of  strategic  equipment  for  the  transition  towards  a 
net-zero  economy,  including  among  others  wind  turbines  and  their  key  components  and 
related  critical  raw  materials  25.  On  the  basis  of  this  new  section  some  Member  States  are 
setting  up  support  schemes  for  clean-tech  manufacturing  expansion.  Since  March  2023,  the 
Commission  has  approved  schemes  set  up  by  several  Member  States  for  a  total  budget  of 
around EUR 6.9 billion and is currently assessing additional ones.  

In  addition,  Member  States  can  also  support  the  wind  sector  under  the  General  Block 
Exemption26,  the  RDI  Framework27,  the  Climate,  Environmental  protection  and  Energy 
Guidelines28 and the Regionale aid Guidelines29. 

In  June  2023,  the  Commission  proposed  the  Strategic  Technologies  for  Europe  Platform 
(‘STEP’) to support investment in critical and emerging technologies relevant to the green and 
digital  transition30.  STEP  would  allow  directing  both  existing  and  additional  EU  funding 
under  a  number  of  EU  programmes  towards  technology  fields  that  are  crucial  for  Europe’s 
leadership,  in  particular  in  clean  technology  manufacturing,  thus  contributing  to  a  level 
playing field for investments throughout the single market. 

EU spending programmes offer opportunities of support to the wind industry. The Innovation 
Fund,  which  can  support  scaling  up  innovative  manufacturing  projects,  has  selected  since 

23 Respectively: COM(2023) 62 final of 1st February 2023, COM(2023) 161 of 16 March 2023 and COM(2023) 
160 of 16 March 2023 
24 JOIN/2023/8 Joint communication on the update of the EU Maritime Security Strategy and its Action Plan: An 
enhanced EU Maritime Security Strategy for evolving maritime threats 
25 Communication from the Commission 2023/C 101/03 
26  Commission  Regulation  (EU)  No  651/2014  of  17  June  2014  declaring  certain  categories  of  aid  compatible 
with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty. 
27 Communication from the Commission Framework for State aid for research and development and innovation 
2022/C 414/01. 
28  Communication  from  the  Commission  –  Guidelines  on  State  aid  for  climate,  environmental  protection  and 
energy 2022 C/2022/481. 
29 Communication from the Commission Guidelines on regional State aid 2021/C 153/01. 
30 COM/2023/335 final of 20 June 2023 

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2020  six  wind  projects  for  total  support  of  EUR  150  million.  The  last  large-scale  call31 
included  a  specific  window  for  clean-tech  manufacturing  and  further  calls  are  planned.  A 
number of Member States are making use of the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support 
the build-up of industrial capacity for renewable technologies 

The existing RRPs foresee measures for the deployment of up to 15.9 GW of additional wind 
and  solar  power  capacity32,  earmarking  up  to  EUR  5.6  billon  for  wind  and  solar  related 
projects.  The  measures  focusing  specifically  on  wind  power  include  the  construction  of 
offshore or onshore wind energy farms and associated infrastructure such as energy islands or 
offshore terminal infrastructure.  

Furthermore, investment in manufacturing and deployment can be supported by the InvestEU 
programme, under which more than EUR 1.8 billion of loans from the European Investment 
Bank  (EIB)  for  wind  projects  have  been  approved  so  far.  The  Horizon  Europe  research 
programme  provided  about  EUR  250  million  to  wind-related  topics.  The  Cohesion  Fund, 
the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  and  the  Just  Transition  Fund  support 
innovation, build-up of industrial capacity, in particular in SMEs, and deployment in the field 
of wind energy, on the basis of national and regional Cohesion Policy programmes. Cohesion 
Policy support to deployment alone is expected to be more than EUR 580 million in the 2021-
2027 period, reaching a total of EUR 819 million including also national contributions. 

The Commission also supported the creation of the Large Scale Partnership on Skills. This 
partnership  is  driven  by  stakeholders  and  aims  to  gather  information  on  skills  needs  in  the 
renewable  energy  sector,  contribute  to  the  provision  of  appropriate  skills  and  provide 
guidance and recommendations to public authorities. 

Alongside this action plan, the Commission is adopting a communication on delivering on the 
offshore  renewable  energy  strategy  that  includes  a  set  of  actions  specifically  dedicated  to 
offshore renewable energy. 

5.  A WIND POWER ACTION PLAN 

However, more should be done to support the European wind sector. Therefore, this European 
wind  power  action  plan,  which  builds  upon  the  actions  already  taken  by  the  Commission, 
includes additional actions to address the challenges identified. These measures are structured 
into  6  key  pillars:  (i)  acceleration  of  deployment  through  increased  predictability  and  faster 
permitting,  (ii)  improved  auction  design,  (iii)  access  to  finance  (iv)  creating  a  fair  and 
competitive  international  environment,  (v)  skills  and  (vi)  industry  engagement  and  Member 
State commitments. 

31  https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/eu-funding-climate-action/innovation-fund/calls-proposals/large-scale-
calls_en 
32  Most  of  the  supported  measures  under  the  RRPs  have  shared  deployment  targets  that  cover  both  solar  and 
wind with no disaggregation per technology type. 

7 

 
 
 
 
I.  ACCELERATION 

OF 
PREDICTABILITY AND FASTER PERMITTING 

DEPLOYMENT 

THROUGH 

INCREASED 

Unlocking existing projects in the authorisation phase and accelerating new projects requires 
more efficient and transparent permitting processes, better staffing and training of the national 
permitting  authorities  and  faster  implementation  of  the  new  regulatory  framework  on 
permitting.  To  address  these  obstacles,  the  Commission  will  focus  on  rolling  out  the 
digitalisation  of  the  permitting  process  across  all  the  EU  Member  States.  Better  exchange 
between  Member  States  on  existing  practices  to  gain  acceptance  of  local  communities  will 
also bring additional value to the process.  

Overall, under the Recovery and Resilience Facility Member States have proposed measures 
to support the national permitting authorities of an amount equal to EUR 31 million. This is 
expected to be further strengthened by additional measures via the RepowerEU chapters in the 
Recovery and Resilience Plans in Member States.  

Additionally, despite the specific legal provisions in force33, detailed planning of auctions for 
renewables is either unreliable or lacking in many Member States. The Commission will work 
more closely with  Member States to ensure transparent planning  of  auctions for renewables 
and  if  this  is  not  sufficient,  take  action  to  ensure  proper  implementation  of  the  relevant 
provisions in the Renewable Energy Directive.  

Finally, policies to facilitate wind deployment through renewable power purchase agreements 
are missing. Unclear perspectives on the deployment volumes in the coming years make EU 
manufacturers hold back on expansion of production and capacities. More comprehensive and 
granular auction planning will give the industry greater confidence about short- and mid-term 
business opportunities.  

Action  1:  Commission  and  Member  States  to  work  together  in  order  to  accelerate 
permitting. ‘Accele-RES’ - frontloading transposition and implementation of the revised 
RED. Temporary emergency regime  

The Commission will launch the “Accele-RES” initiative consisting inter alia of the following 
specific actions: 

•  The Commission will prioritise the acceleration of permitting by putting a strong 
emphasis  on  digitalisation  of  national  permitting  processes  across  the  EU  as  well 
supporting the roll-out of training for national permitting authorities. This action will 
be supported in selected Member States by the RepowerEU chapters of their Recovery 
and  Resilience  Plans.  The  Commission  will  encourage  Member  States  to  use  the 
Technical  Support  Instrument  (TSI)34  to  further  support  fast  implementation  of 
permitting provisions in RED. 

•  Before  the  end  of  the  year,  the  Commission  will  launch  a  dedicated  online  tool  to 
support  Member  States  in  the  permitting  process.  The  tool  will,  among  other 
things,  provide  answers  to  frequently  asked  practical  questions  from  Member  States 
related to the implementation of the revised permitting provisions.  

33 Art. 6.3 in the Renewable Energy Directive. 
34https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/technical-support-
instrument/technical-support-instrument-tsi_en  

8 

 
 
 
•  To support fast implementation of the permitting rules, the Commission will urge all 

Member States to set up detailed implementation plans for the revised RED. 

•  By  April  2024,  the  Commission  will  update  the  Recommendation  on  speeding  up 
permit-granting procedures for renewable energy projects35 and the Guidance on good 
practices to speed up permit-granting procedures for renewable energy projects and on 
facilitating power purchase agreements36 that accompanies it, with further guidance on 
topics  such  as  repowering,  simplification  of  environmental  procedures  or  permitting 
for grids, as necessary. The Commission will also issue guidance to the Member States 
on the designation of the renewables acceleration areas37. 

•  The  Commission  will  upgrade  the  informal  expert  group  on  permitting  to  a 
dedicated forum to regularly exchange best practices and identify remaining obstacles, 
including regulatory barriers, that require further action at EU level. Other cooperation 
fora with Member States, such as the Concerted Action on the RED (CA-RES) and 
the  Single  Market  Enforcement  Task  Force  (SMET)  will  be  mobilised  to  support 
the implementation of the new legislation38. 

The  Commission  is  currently  carrying  out  a  review  of  the  Emergency  Regulation  on 
permitting in the context of the ongoing assessment on the need to prolong the validity of the 
emergency  regulations.  The  Regulation  is  already  speeding  up  the  permitting  procedures  in 
the  Member  States,  before  the  provisions  of  the  revised  RED  are  effectively  transposed 
(Member  States  are  obliged  to  transpose  some  of  these  provisions  by  1  July  2024).  We  see 
that  the  energy  market  has  stabilised  compared  to  2022,  but  the  EU  is  still  facing  the 
consequences of the energy crisis. While our preparedness and security of supply architecture 
has been reinforced, risks, such as disruption to our energy imports, remain. Electricity prices 
are  at  a  high  level  and  continue  to  be  volatile.  The  need  to  accelerate  deployment  of 
renewables, in particular wind energy, across the EU is higher than ever as it helps to address 
security of supply risks, displace fossil fuels from the energy mix and achieve our ambitious 
2030 targets.  

By November, the Commission will present the report on the main findings of this review and 
consider proposing an extension  of a temporary emergency regime. Such a temporary regime, 
would  bring  concrete  benefits  to  renewables  and  would  send  a  strong  signal  to  the  industry 
and  Member  States  about  the  need  to  urgently  accelerate  deployment  of  wind  and  other 
renewable  energy  sources.  In  order  to  ensure  that  the  favourable  conditions  created  by  the 
Emergency  Regulation  are  preserved  seamlessly  in  a  structural  manner,  the  Member  States 
are urged to frontload the transposition of the provisions of the revised RED. 

35 Commission Recommendation C/2022/3219 final 
36  Commission  Staff  Working  Document  Guidance  to  Member  States  on  good  practices  to  speed  up  permit-
granting  procedures  for  renewable  energy  projects  and  on  facilitating  Power  Purchase  Agreements 
Accompanying  the  document  Commission  Recommendation  on  speeding  up  permit-granting  procedures  for 
renewable energy projects and facilitating Power Purchase Agreements, SWD/2022/0149 final 
37  Member  States  must  designate  renewables  acceleration  areas  for  at  least  one  renewable  energy  technology 
pursuant to Article 15.c of the revised RED. 
38 SMET will continue its work on eliminating process-related barriers to permitting for wind and solar energy 
projects.  It  will  also  support  the  exchange  of  good  practices  for  one-stop  shop,  digital  permitting,  and  clear 
information and deadlines.   

9 

 
 
 
Action  2:  Member  States  to  increase  visibility  of  the  wind  projects  pipeline  through 
wind pledges, publication of mid-term auction schedules, long-term plans for renewables 
deployment  

Under the RED, Member States already have an obligation to publish a long-term schedule on 
the  expected  allocation  of  support  for  renewables  covering  at  least  the  following  five  years 
and to introduce measures to ensure  that power  purchase agreements  will also contribute  to 
the  required  deployment  of  renewables39.  In  cooperation  with  the  Member  States,  the 
Commission  will  ensure  the  visibility  and  predictability  of  national  plans  for  renewables 
deployment,  by  ensuring  the  implementation  of  the  relevant  RED  provisions  and  deploying 
transparent  digital  tools.  This  would  help  industry  better  plan  their  investments  in 
manufacturing  capacity,  increase  their  bankability  and  bolster  their  business  case.  Some 
Member  States,  such  as  Denmark  or  Poland,  are  already  working  on  concrete  tendering 
programmes for large offshore investments. 

To this end: 

•  The Commission will set up an interactive EU digital platform on which the auction 
planning of the Member States will be published. This will ensure higher visibility of 
upcoming auctions and expected deployment volumes and allow companies to have a 
single point of information for all auctions planned in the EU. 

•  The Commission calls on the Member States to commit to specific, concrete pledges 
on wind energy deployment volumes for at least the period 2024-2026, providing a 
clear  and  credible  overview  of  wind  energy  deployment  in  the  next  years,  to  be 
formalised  by  the  end  of  2023.  These  pledges  should  complement  the  ambitious 
commitments on offshore energy that amount to 111 GW across all EU sea basins by 
2030. 

•  The  Commission  will  reinforce  cooperation  with  Member  States,  project  promoters 
and  grid  operators  in  the  context  of  the  regional  high-level  groups40  to  identify 
concrete  ready-to-go  projects  for  wind  and  other  renewables,  including  cross-border 
projects,  and  to  support  their  rapid  implementation.  One  good  example  is  the  North 
Sea Energy Cooperation (NSEC), which adopted a joint statement41 setting ambitious 
new aggregate targets of reaching at least 260 GW of offshore wind energy by 2050, 
with  intermediate  targets  of  at  least  76  GW  by  2030  and  193  GW  by  2040.  The 
Commission  will  also  use  regional  cooperation  fora  to  coordinate  planning  for 
offshore wind and other renewable projects with regional impacts as also explained in 
the Offshore Communication. 

• 

In December 2023, following the assessment of the draft national energy and climate 
plans (NECPs), the Commission will issue recommendations related to permitting 

39 Article 6.3 of the Directive (EU) 2018/2001: “Member States shall publish a long-term schedule anticipating 
the expected allocation of support, covering, as a reference, at least the following five years, or, in the case of 
budgetary  planning  constraints,  the  following  three  years,  including  the  indicative  timing,  the  frequency  of 
tendering  procedures  where  appropriate,  the  expected  capacity  and  budget  or  maximum  unitary  support 
expected to be allocated, and the expected eligible technologies, if applicable. That schedule shall be updated on 
an annual basis or, where necessary, to reflect recent market developments or expected allocation of support”. 
40 BEMIP, CESEC, South-Western and NSEC 
41 https://energy.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-09/220912_NSEC_Joint_Statement_Dublin_Ministerial.pdf 

10 

 
 
 
and long-term planning of renewables development. In their updated NECPs, going 
beyond  the current  legal  obligations, Member States should develop  comprehensive 
10-year plans for the deployment renewables, in particular wind, with an outlook to 
2040.  The  plans  should  include  targeted  installed  capacities  and/or  volumes  or 
production,  profile  of  the  projects,  spatial  distribution  and  energy  system  integration 
aspects.  This  will  give  visibility  to  the  manufacturing  industry  as  well  as  to  grid 
operators  to  timely  develop  the  necessary  grids  to  integrate  renewables  (through 
network development plans).  

Action 3: Commission to adopt an action plan to facilitate grids build-out  

Following the High-Level Electricity Grids conference in September 2023, the Commission 
will  adopt  an  action  plan  for  grids  in  November  2023,  including  both  transmission  and 
distribution levels. Building on the framework for trans-European energy networks (TEN-E), 
the action plan  will  in  particular  help  accelerating  key cross-border electricity infrastructure 
projects to be included in the first list of projects of common interest and projects of mutual 
interest  following  the  adoption  of  the  revised  regulation  on  the  Trans-European  Energy 
Networks. These projects will be crucial to integrating increasing volumes of renewables and 
advancing energy system integration.  

The  action  plan  will  include  measures  to  address  bottlenecks  hampering  grid  reinforcement 
and expansion, including cross-border cost sharing, and manufacturing, which are crucial to 
help to unblock a larger number of onshore and offshore wind projects, trigger investment in 
wind  projects  in  coastal  Member  States  and  transport  infrastructure  towards  landlocked 
regions  in  Europe  and  in  this  way  create  additional  demand  for  wind  equipment.  The  grids 
action  plan  will  also  facilitate  anticipatory  investments  to  ensure  the  necessary  grid 
development.  It  will  aim  to  both  accelerate  the  deployment  of  new  infrastructure  by 
addressing permitting bottlenecks, as well ensure better use of the existing grid, for example 
by increasing visibility of existing capacities. 

II. 

IMPROVED AUCTION DESIGN 

The  way  Member  States  design  their  auctions  to  support  renewables  impacts  renewables 
deployment  and  investment  signals  sent  across  the  value  chain.  Well-designed  objective, 
transparent,  non-discriminatory  pre-qualification  and  non-price  award  criteria  that  reward 
higher value added products and promote industrial scale-up can better support an innovative 
and  competitive  wind  manufacturing  industry.  Criteria  like  longer  life-time  of  installations, 
carbon  content  or  circular-economy  measures  reduce  the  environmental  footprint  of  wind 
farms,  and  help  to  reduce  our  dependency  on  critical  raw  materials.  Addressing  the  risk  of 
project delays or non-execution provides higher predictability and certainty to companies and 
investors. More generally, further harmonisation of Member States’ auction design principles 
would  reduce  transaction  costs  and  could  go  a  long  way  to  ensure  that  auctions  are  fit-for-
purpose, while leaving sufficient scope for flexibility and innovation at Member State level. 
The  use  of  these  elements  in  auction  design  should  take  into  consideration  the  budgetary 
impact for Member States and the need for simplicity. 

11 

 
 
 
Action  4:  Member  States  to  include  in  their  auctions  objective,  transparent  and  non-
discriminatory  qualitative  criteria  and  measures  to  maximise  the  execution  rate  of  the 
projects, supported by Commission recommendation and guidance 

Immediately  after  the  adoption  of  the  action  plan,  the  Commission,  will  launch  a dialogue 
with Member States and stakeholders to improve, simplify and provide consistency in the 
design  of  renewable  energy  auctions  in  order  to  address  shortcomings  resulting  in  project 
delays  or  abandoning.  This  uncertainty  harms  European  wind  market  players  and  Member 
States  and  undermines  the  achievement  of  the  EU  target  for  renewables.  The  dialogue  will 
lead  to  the  adoption  as  soon  as  possibleof  a  Commission  recommendation  and  guidance 
that aim to provide suggested standard elements to auctions, in full complementarity with the 
NZIA, as well as making auction design more uniform and efficient. In the longer term, the 
Commission  would  be  ready  to  ensure  a  more  uniform  auction  design  by  making  these 
provisions legally binding via an Implementing Act in the NZIA.  

This action will include: 

•  proposing  a  set  of  non-discriminatory,  objective  and  trasparent  pre-qualification 
criteria related to cyber security (compliance with NIS 1 and NIS2) and international 
data  transfer  ,  in  line  with  EU  law  and  international  obligations,  as  well  as  other 
criteria  such  as  sustainability  /  environment  /  sea  basin  protection,  and  ability  to 
deliver; 

•  strengthening  the  clarity  of  non-price  award  criteria  that  are  critical  to  rewarding 
sustainability,  innovation,  energy  system  integration,  high-quality  products,  and  the 
contribution to a resilient supply chain; 

•  exploring the development of a European business conduct code that promotes, among 
other  things,  supply  chain  transparency  and  could  be  recommended  for  future  wind 
auctions; 

• 

reinforcing the cyber-resilience of wind installations and of the infrastructure to which 
they are connected; 

•  ensuring the full and timely execution of projects through appropriate incentives. This 
should  include penalty  clauses  for  non-execution  of  projects and  price  indexation to 
help industry to better cope with cost increases due to inflation; 

•  assessing  the  consequences  of  negative  bidding  and  exploring  solutions  to  avoid  a 

negative impact on the speed and scale of deployment and on the value chain.  

• 

In collecting the Member State pledges for wind energy deployment volumes between 
2024-2026 and beyond, the Commission will request Member States if they intend to 
use  negative  bidding,  especially  uncapped  negative  bidding  which  may  lead  to  very 
high bids for wind projects and increase the risk for full and timely delivery of such 
projects. Where relevant the Commission will launch a dialogue with Member States 
on whether such bidding structure can be avoided; and 

•  addressing bid ceilings leading to undersubscription in auctions. 

12 

 
 
Action 4 aims to bring quick and tangible improvements and more harmonisation to the design 
of renewable energy  auctions.  Some  of the issues that it intends to tackle are  addressed  in a 
structural manner  in  the proposals  for the  Electricity  Market Design (EMD) and  Net-Zero 
Industry  Act  (NZIA).  With  this  in  mind,  the  Commission  calls  on  the  co-legislators  to 
arrive swiftly at an agreement on the EMD (by end 2023) and Net-Zero Industry Act (by 
March 2024).  

The  Commission  will  support  the  co-legislators  in  introducing  in  the  NZIA  provisions 
related  to  objective,  transparent  and  non-discriminatory  pre-qualification  criteria  for 
auctions  and  strengthening  the  use  of  the  non-price  award  criteria,  including  notably 
considerations related to business conduct, cybersecurity and data security as well as ability to 
deliver the project fully and on time.  

Furthermore,  if  decided  so  by  the  co-legislators,  the  Commission  stands  ready  to  swiftly 
propose  an  implementing  act  to  the  NZIA  to  incorporate  best  practice  on  the  design  of 
auctions for renewables into European legislation, and further streamline of auction design.  

The  provisions  of  the  EMD  on  the  use  of  contracts  for  difference  and  power  purchase 
agreements could, when adopted, support revenue stability in the wind industry.  

Action 5: Tackling cybersecurity risks and addressing data protection aspects  

The  Commission  will  identify  cybersecurity  risks  relevant  to  wind  energy  installations  and 
related  infrastructure,  including  data  protection  aspects,  in  view  of  assessing  whether  these 
could  be  exploited  to  damage  economic  security  or  the  security  of  electricity  supply  in  the 
EU. This identification and assessment will be carried out in the context of the risk evaluation 
exercise  currently  led  by  the  Commission  with  the  High  Representative  and  the  NIS 
Cooperation Group, as referred to in the Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on a 
Union-wide coordinated approach to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure42. For 
this specific analysis, and to feed into the wider risk evaluation, the Commission will also use 
expert  groups  such  as  the  newly  established  Smart  Energy  Expert  Group  and  its  working 
group on cybersecurity, with representatives from industry , including vendors and electricity 
undertakings.  The  work  on  the  risk  assessment  may  draw  on  the  experience  with  5G  and 
would complement the existing security infrastructure and notably the Network Code on the 
cybersecurity of cross-border electricity flows planned for adoption in Q1 2024. The results 
could support procurement processes and auction design, further policy making as well as the 
screening of foreign direct investments. 

The analysis of cybersecurity risks will be broad in scope and include also installations.  

Action 6: Commission to increase the use of strategic procurement in the context of the 
Global Gateway  

In December 2021, the Commission launched the Global Gateway strategy through which the 
EU invests, in a ‘Team Europe’ approach, in clean energy and infrastructure projects around 

42  Council  Recommendation  of  8  December  2022  on  a  Union-wide  coordinated  approach  to  strengthen  the 
resilience of critical infrastructure, (2023/C 20/01), (OJ C 20, 20.1.2023, p. 1) 

13 

 
 
 
 
the  world,  including  for  wind  energy.  The  Commission  will  propose  to  increase  the  use  of 
strategic procurement in the context of the Global Gateway. This will ensure that projects are 
up to to high environmental, social and governance standards and will allow contractors and 
producers  who  meet  these  standards  to  find  a  viable  business  case,  while  promoting 
sustainable  development  in  emerging  markets  and  developing  economies.  For  projects 
involving the deployment of strategic net-zero technologies like wind renewable technologies, 
criteria  such  as  those  included  in  the  NZIA,  once  adopted,  will  serve  as  a  reference  for 
engaging with international partners. Furthermore, the Commission will look into the possible 
application  of  similar  requirements  to procurement by  private  promoters in Global Gateway 
projects.  

III.  ACCESS TO FINANCE 

The inflationary environment with raw material price hikes, the interest rate increase and the 
frequent need to provide upfront guarantees in order to secure contracts have deteriorated the 
wind sector’s access to finance, for both manufacturing and deployment. However, to achieve 
the  NZIA  targets,  the  wind  industry  needs  an  estimated  EUR  6  billion  of  investments  into 
manufacturing capacity. Within the Capital Markets Union (CMU) and the EU framework for 
sustainable  finance,  the  Commission  has  worked  to  deliver  capital  market  rules  that  are 
attractive  to  investment  from  long-term  investors,  as  well  as  measures  to  mobilise  private 
finance  towards  environmentally  sustainable  activities  and  opportunities  of  the  European 
Green Deal. The Commission realises fully that private investment will be crucial to meet the 
ambitions of this action plan and will take action in this field, alongside the mobilisation of 
EU and other public investment sources. 

Action 7: Commission to facilitate access to EU financing 

The Commission will expand the possibility for support for wind energy manufacturing under 
the  Innovation  Fund,  namely  by  doubling  the  budget  for  financing  clean  technology 
manufacturing projects to EUR 1.4 billion, including projects for the manufacturing of wind 
turbines and their components, in the next call for proposals on 23 November 2023.  

The Innovation Fund has a total of EUR 40 billion for the period 2020-203043. In the overall 
budget of the Innovation Fund this year, of EUR 4 billion, in addition to the dedicated clean-
tech manufacturing  topic, innovative wind  energy  production and  pilot projects  will also  be 
eligible under the other topics in the upcoming call for proposals on 23 November 2023. At 
equal merit, priority will be given to wind energy projects under this call.  

To support project developers and ensure that a solid pipeline of innovative projects is being 
built, wind energy projects should also get priority for the EUR 90 million of Innovation Fund 
project  development  assistance  that  will  be  provided  in  cooperation  with  the  European 
Investment Bank over the next 3 years. Tailored advisory support is also  available from the 
InvestEU Advisory Hub. Furthermore, combination of funding from the Innovation Fund and 
financing  delivered  by  the  EIB  and  other  international  financial  institutions  and  national 
promotional  banks  and  institutions,  including  under  the  InvestEU  programme  can  also 
support awarded projects to help reach a final investment decision.  

43 At an average carbon price of EUR 75EUR per tonne 

14 

 
 
 
 
By  end  of  this  year,  the  Commission  will  also  strengthen  wind-related  activities  under  the 
revised Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan44), along with increased support for 
research  and  innovation  in  the  wind  manufacturing  sector,  so  that  relevant  European 
technologies  keep  their  competitive  edge,  in  particular  on  issues  linked  to  circularity  and 
sustainability, improving industrial processes and digitalisation.  

The STEP will also open new opportunities for supporting investment that aims to scale up 
the  EU’s  manufacturing  of  clean  technologies,  including  wind  power,  which  could 
particularly  benefit  transition  and  less-developed  regions  as  well  as  developed  regions  in 
Member  States  with  a  GDP/capita  below  the  EU  average.  These  regions  will  benefit  from 
financial incentives and higher flexibility in using the Cohesion Fund, European Regional 
Development Fund and Just Transition Fund allocations for offering support to productive 
investments  in  large  companies  for  investments  in  the  strategic  sectors  contributing  to  the 
STEP objectives. 

Action 8: EIB to provide de-risking tools and guarantees for EU wind companies  

In July 2023, the European Investment Bank approved its second REPowerEU package. The 
Bank  announced  its  ambition  to  nearly  double  its  lending  contributing  to  the  Green  Deal 
Industrial Plan  and  the  NZIA,  to  mobilise around EUR 150  billion cumulatively in  5 years. 
This plan will be partially underpinned by the InvestEU guarantee mechanism. The European 
manufacturers  of  strategic  net-zero  technologies,  associated  upstream  components  and 
strategic raw materials will be one of the priority/action areas of this effort. It will include EU 
manufacturing capacity in the onshore and offshore wind industry.  

The Commission and the European  Investment  Bank are  jointly working with high  urgency 
on a dedicated instrument to counter-guarantee commercial banks’ credit exposures to 
key  wind  industry  suppliers,  increasing  access  to  advance  payment  and  performance 
guarantee lines. The common objective of the Commission and the EIB is to launch the new 
facility in the coming 3 to 6 months. This will alleviate the financial pressure resulting from a 
growing  order  book  exacerbated  by  macroeconomic  challenges,  including  rising  inflation, 
interest rates as well as significant supply chain disruptions. 

The Commission has also proposed as part of STEP to increase the EU guarantee by EUR 7.5 
billion  through  a  dedicated  window  of  InvestEU,  which  would  increase  the  capacity  of  the 
EIB  Group  and  other  implementing  partners  to  support  investment  in  development  and 
manufacturing of the clean and other technologies, including for the wind sector. 

The work on enhancing coordination between external financial tools – with Member States’ 
export  credit  agencies  working  alongside  development  finance  providers,  notably  in  the 
context of the Global Gateway – will support i.a. renewable projects, including wind. 

Action  9:  Member  States  to  make  full  use  of  flexibility  provided  under  State  aid  rules 
for EU wind value chain  

Member States  should fully  use  the  opportunities provided by the  TCTF rules in support  of 
the  wind  manufacturing  in  the  EU.  As  concerns  certain  crisis-related  sections  of  the  TCTF 
that are due to expire by the end of the year, the Commission has consulted Member States 
and will soon take a decision on their possible prolongation, taking into account the need to 

44 Communication from the Commission on revising the SET Plan (to be adopted in October 2023) 

15 

 
 
 
ensure a level playing field within the EU. Other sections intended to support the transition to 
a net-zero economy that enable Member States to accelerate the roll-out of renewable energy, 
including wind power, and support strategic investments for the manufacturing of equipment 
necessary  for  the  transition  to  net-zero,  including  wind  turbines,  their  key  components  and 
related critical raw materials, are available until the end of 2025.  

Action  10:  Commission  to  strengthen  the  dialogue  with  investors  to  foster  the 
attractiveness of investments in the EU’s wind sector 

The  Commission  is  actively  engaging  with  stakeholders,  in  particular  long-term  capital 
investors in the context of the Investors Dialogue, on solutions to make the EU wind industry 
more competitive at attracting investment at a global level. This will help to reduce the need 
for  public  support.  The  focus  is  on  the  opportunities  and  vulnerabilities  in  the  sector  – 
operational,  financial  and  competitive  –  and  ways  to  enhance  Europe’s  strengths  and 
addressing our weaknesses. 

Still  within  2023  2023,  the  Commission  will  organise  dedicated  meetings  with  long-term 
investors to better understand the main obstacles hindering the attractiveness of investment in 
the  EU’s  wind  sector  and  the  best  ways  to  address  them.  This  will  cover  opportunities  to 
ensure  quicker  access  and  deployment  of  private  finance,  as  well  as  discussions  on  the 
investment climate in Europe including an effective and where possible simplified regulatory 
environment for investments into the wind sector. 

IV.  ENSURING A FAIR AND COMPETITIVE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT 

The EU wind manufacturing industry has demonstrated that, under fair conditions, it is highly 
competitive  both  in  its  home  market  and  in  foreign  markets.  The  EU  should  create  a 
propitious environment for the EU industry to compete, innovate, invest and export to foreign 
markets in compliance with international commitments. 

Action 11: Commission to facilitate EU manufacturers’ access to foreign markets  

The Commission will continue to use its large network of trade agreements to strengthen the 
competitiveness  of  the  EU  wind  industry,  including  through  effective  implementation  and 
enforcement45.  The  Commission  equally  attaches  high  importance  to  ongoing  trade 
negotiations with a view to concluding robust chapters on energy and raw materials, as well 
as other relevant provisions for the  wind industry. These agreements help the wind industry 
diversify and de-risk their supply chains as well as address strategic dependencies, notably on 
raw  materials  and  other  intermediate  products.  Therefore,  the  Commission  will  further 
intensify  negotiations  on  trade  agreements  that  would  strengthen  the  position  of  EU 
companies,  including  in  the  wind  sector,  and  ensure  undistorted  access  to  foreign  markets. 
The  Net-Zero  Industrial  Partnerships  will  additionally  support  the  presence  of  European 
companies in key markets. In addition, the Commission will seek more strategic cooperation 
and initiatives in this sector in the EU neighbourhood. 

45 EU trade agreements contain provisions prohibiting import and export restrictions, local content requirements 
as well as opening access to public procurement. 

16 

 
 
 
 
The  EU  will  equally  work  with  its  partners  in  the  World  Trade  Organisation  (WTO)  to 
develop  the  rulebook  on  subsidies,  with  a  view  to  increasing  transparency  on  state 
intervention and  avoiding the subsidy race  that increases trade conflicts  and undermines  the 
cooperation necessary to achieve the global climate objectives. The work is planned to start in 
the February 2024 WTO Ministerial Conference.  

The  International  Procurement  Instrument  (IPI)46  provides  the  EU  with  leverage  to 
persuade  its  trading  partners  that  do  not  yet  have  commitments  in  the  area  of  public 
procurement (in the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) or in bilateral free 
trade  agreements)  to  open  their  procurement  markets  to  EU  businesses.  If  there  are 
substantiated  allegations  by  the  EU  industry  about  restricted  access  to  wind  power  related 
goods and services in a non-EU country in the area of public procurement, the Commission 
may  launch  an  IPI  investigation  with  a  view  to  opening  that  market  to  EU  operators  via 
consultation with the non-EU country concerned. The IPI also allows the EU to restrict access 
to  its  public  procurement  markets  by  imposing  respective  IPI  measures  in  case  the 
consultation  mentioned  above  does  not  lead  to  the  expected  market  opening  of  the  non-EU 
country’s market. 

Action  12:  Protect  the  internal  market  against  trade  distortions  and  threat  to  security 
and public order    

The  Commission,  in  partnership  with  the  European  wind  industry,  will  closely  monitor 
possible unfair trade practices which benefit foreign wind manufacturers. This will involve 
close  scrutiny  of  potential  subsidisation  of  wind-related  products  imported  into  the  EU.  If 
justified,  the  Commission  will  activate  its  trade  defence  instruments.  To  the  extent  that 
foreign  distorting  subsidies  allow  wind  manufacturers  receiving  them  to  be  successful  in 
public procurement  procedures  or  in  concentrations involving  EU  target  companies,  the EU 
will  also  use  the  measures  provided  for  by  the  Foreign  Subsidies  Regulation.  The 
European wind industry is encouraged to submit further evidence. The Commission will 
assess  all  evidence  of  alleged  unfair  practices  put  forward  by  the  industry  or  from  other 
independent sources .  

The  Commission  will  encourage  Member  States  to  take  fully  into  account  risks  to  critical 
energy  infrastructures  when  implementing  their  screening  mechanisms  on  grounds  of 
security or public  order. The  Commission will make full use  of the cooperation mechanism 
under the Foreign  Direct Investments Screening Regulation47 to prevent possible threats 
to security and public order related to foreign investments in the EU wind industry. 

Action 13: Enhancing standardisation in the wind energy sector 

In  the  current  stage  of  the  wind  industry  development,  technical  standards  are  a  key 
instrument  to  ensure  interoperability,  reduce  costs  and  speed  up  the  market  deployment  of 
onshore and offshore wind energy technologies onshore and offshore. While the International 
Electrotechnical  Commission  (IEC)  has  adopted  a  broad  range  of  standards,  which  are 
adopted as European standards by CENELEC, additional standards could contribute to help 
further  enhance  the  efficiency  and  the  sustainability  of  wind  energy  equipment  and  remove 

46  Regulation  (EU)  2022/1031  on  the  access  of  third-country  economic  operators,  goods  and  services  to  the 
Union’s public procurement and concession markets entered into force on 29 August 2022. 
47  Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  19  March  2019  establishing  a 
framework for the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union, OJ L 79I , 21.3.2019, p. 1–14 

17 

 
 
 
barriers to its roll-out across the EU.  In particular, circular economy is important to ensure 
startegic  autonomy  in  a  key  sector  like  the  wind  industry,  while  reducing  its  enviromental 
impact  in  line  with  European  Green  Deal.  They  could  also  strengthen  the  industrial 
ecosystem, especially if combined with the parallel work on renewable energy auction design. 
Promoting  the  standardisation  process  at  international  level  and  ensuring  the  EU’s  active 
participation will also support the ability of the European wind industry to better compete on 
quality with global competitors. 

To promote the adoption of EU and international standards for the wind sector, by the 
end of 2023, the following actions will be taken: 

•  as  part  of  the  established  High-Level  Forum  on  European  Standardisation,  a  special 
working session on wind technology will identify the main European and international 
standardisation  needs,  identify  any  existing  barriers  and  raise  awareness  among 
Member States and the industry to ensure the participation of their experts in standard-
setting activities; and  

• 

the  Commission  will  request  the  European  Standardisation  Organisations  to  draft 
European standardisation deliverables in support of the objectives of the NZIA.  

V. 

SKILLS 

It is estimated that about 100.000 additional jobs will be needed in the wind sector by 2030, 
while the associated investment in skills could amount to about EUR 850 million48. In March 
2021  and  March  2023,  renewable  energy  trade  associations,  representatives  of  installers  of 
clean technologies, education and training providers, research centers and regional networks, 
including stakeholders  from  the  wind  energy  industry,  with  the support  of the Commission, 
set up large-scale skills partnerships for the renewable energy industrial ecosystem under the 
Pact for Skills. The partnerships are working but needs further development to deliver on its 
objectives. 

Action 14: Large scale  skills partnerships for renewable energy to design projects that 
support skills development for the renewable energy sector, including wind  

The large scale skills partnerships for renewable energy and for offshore renewable energy are 
encouraged  to  identify  as  soon  as  possible  those  EU  programmes  and  skills  initiatives  that 
offer the best framework for the implementation of projects that enable mapping of the skills 
needs  in  the  sector,  review  job  profiles,  elaborate  and  operate  new  labour-market  relevant 
training  modules  and  related  material  and/or  support  the  development  of  skills  urgently 
needed  in  the  renewables  sector,  targeting  in  particular  women,  young  people  (not  in 
education,  employment,  or  training)  and  older  people.  With  a  particular  focus  on 
sustainability  and  circular  economy  practices.  This  could  include  the  application  to  the 
Erasmus+  call  for  a  blueprint  for  sectoral  cooperation  on  skills.  The  partnership  can  also 

48  Commission  report  on  “Employment  and  Social  Developments  in  Europe.  Addressing  labour  shortages  and 
skills gaps in the EU”, https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=26989&langId=en 

18 

 
 
 
 
benefit  from  existing  initiatives  like  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  and  the 
Centers of vocational excellence49.  

In  addition,  NZIA  will  facilitate  the  launch  of  European  net-zero  industry  skills  academies 
designed to support Member State actions to upskill and reskill wokers. The academies will 
develop  learning  content  and  materials  that  they  make  available  to  education  and  training 
providers in the Member States to meet the demand for skilled workers in net-zero industries . 
The  academies,  each  focussing  on  one  net-zero  industry  technology,  including  one  to  be 
launched  dedicated  to  the  wind  sector,  will  aim  to  train  100.000  learners  each  within  three 
years of establishment. 

VI. 

INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT AND MEMBER STATES COMMITMENTS 

In addition to measures  taken by the EU and Member States, actions by the European wind 
industry itself will also contribute to a more stable and profitable business environment. This 
concerns, among other things, more actively hedging against inflation and price volatility of 
its  main  inputs,  such  as  raw  materials,  developing  further  long-term  partnerships  between 
wind manufacturers and wind operators which can be of mutual benefit.  

Action 15: EU wind charter  

To scale up wind deployment and manufacturing capacity in the EU, the Commission invites 
Member  States  and  wind  industry  representatives  to  sign  up,  before  the  end  of  2023,  to 
voluntary commitments as part of a wind charter. Following up on the Investors Dialogue, the 
Commission  will  seek  to  include  financial  investors  in  the  wind  charter  or  to  extend  the 
charter to those players as soon as it becomes feasible. 

The objective of the charter, which builds on this action plan and on its policies, is to align 
and  swiftly  implement  the  actions  of  the  Commission,  Member  States  and  industrial 
stakeholders, while demonstrating a common and coordinated effort to improve the enabling 
conditions for the European wind industry. The Commission will work closely with Member 
States  and  industrial  stakeholders  to  develop  the  precise  commitments  of  the  charter,  in 
consultation  with  social partners.  The  reassurances  that  this  action  plan  and  the  charter  will 
provide  should  allow  industry  to  step  up  investments  and  ensure  the  expansion  of  its 
manufacturing capacity, in order to meet the expected increased demand for wind projects in 
the years to come.  

6.  CONCLUSIONS AND WAY FORWARD 

The wind industry is  a pride  for Europe. The EU has a  solid manufacturing base and many 
robust  wind  farm  developers  with  global  reach.  The  sector  has great  innovating  power  and 
ingenuity and is a fertile ground for developing new skills. European companies active in the 
wind  sector  are  crucial  actors  in  the  ongoing  transformation  of  our  energy  system  and 

49  For  example,  the  Erasmus+  funded  Centre  of  Vocational  Excellence  “Technical  Skills  for  Harmonised 
Offshore Renewable Energy” (T-shore) aims to develop training programmes and resources to provide workers 
with the skills and competencies they need to succeed in the offshore wind industry. 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
reaching  our  ambitious  climate  and  energy  targets.  Alongside  other  net-zero  industries,  the 
wind  industry  makes  the  EU  well-equipped  for  transforming  towards  the  clean  and  circular 
economy of tomorrow. The EU’s wind sector thrives on competition and as a result is a global 
leader. It is a trend- and standard-setter for the world. European cooperation on wind energy 
with international partners creates new markets and provides global solutions to replace fossil 
fuels.  

This is why the European wind industry must scale up and invest now to let the EU industry 
and citizens seize  the opportunities of the  European Green Deal and decarbonisation efforts 
worldwide. To make this possible, the industry needs more predictability and a clearly visible, 
solid project pipeline. It requires a robust business model that ensures appropriate profitability 
and access to finance to grow and attract investors. It needs expanded and strengthened grids 
to integrate its energy. And it requires fair competition. 

There  is  no  time  to  lose.  This  action  plan  therefore  aims  to  concrete  results  already  in  the 
coming months.  Implementation of this action plan by the EU, Member  States  and industry 
will  support  the  European  wind  manufacturing  sector  in  overcoming  the  difficulties  and 
improve its competitiveness to ensure that this sector fully contributes to the ongoing energy 
transition.  

The  action  plan  provides  the  European  wind  industry  with  the  reassurance  that  its  business 
case  in  the  EU  is  strong,  sustainable  and  long  term.  Therefore,  the  Commission  calls  on 
Member  States  and  the  industry  to  endorse  this  action  plan  and  implement  the  actions 
according  to  their  respective  roles.  The  Commission  invites  the  Parliament,  the  Council, 
and other EU institutions to contribute to this work supporting the objective of this action 
plan. 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX I – THE EUROPEAN WIND POWER ACTION PLAN IN A NUTSHELL 

Category  

Actions/instruments  

Acceleration of 
deployment 
through increased 
predictability and 
faster permitting  

1.  Commission and Member States to work together in order to 

accelerate permitting. ‘Accele-RES’ - frontloading transposition 
and implementation of the revised RED. Temporary emergency 
regime 

2.  Member States to increase visibility of the wind projects pipeline 
through wind pledges, publication of mid-term auction schedules, 
long-term plans for renewables deployment   

Starting Nov. 
2023  

3.  Commission to adopt an action plan to facilitate grids build-out  

Nov. 2023 

Timeline 

Starting Nov. 
2023 

Improved auction 
design  

4.  Member States to include in their auctions objective, transparent 
and non-discriminatory qualitative criteria and measures to 
maximise the execution rate of the projects, supported by 
Commission recommendation and guidance 

as soon as 
possible 

5.  Tackling cybersecurity risks and addressing data protection aspects    Start 

6.  Commission to increase the use of strategic procurement in the 

context of the Global Gateway  

beginning 
2024 

As of 
adoption 

Access to finance 

7.  Commission to facilitate access to EU financing  

By end 2023 

8.  EIB to provide de-risking tools and guarantees for EU wind 

Q4 2023 

companies 

9.  Member States to make full use of flexibility provided under State 

aid rules for EU wind value chain 

As of 
adoption 

10.  Commission to strengthen the dialogue with investors to foster the 

By end 2023 

attractiveness of investment in the EU’s wind sector 

Creating a fair 
and competitive 
international 
environment 

11.   Commission to facilitate EU manufacturers’ access to foreign 

markets    

12.  Protect the internal market against trade distortions and threat to 

security and public order   

13.  Enhancing standardisation in the wind energy sector 

As of 
adoption  

As of 
adoption 

Start by end 
2023  

Skills  

14.  Large Scale Skills Partnerships for Renewable Energy to design 

By mid-2024 

projects that support skills development for the renewable energy 
sector, including wind 

15.  EU Wind Charter 

Dec. 2023 

Industry 
engagement and 
Member States 
commitments 

21