Support to the evaluation of Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure : final report

Abstract

Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 (the Trans-European Network for Energy (TEN-E) Regulation) is part of a larger regulatory framework adopted to tackle barriers to the implementation of European energy infrastructure and integration of energy networks. The evidence base of this study has been used to evaluate the Regulation against the five evaluation criteria: effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence and EU added value. The study finds that the projects of common interest (PCIs) facilitated by the Regulation have contributed to security of supply and integration of energy markets. The organisation of PCI selection in regional groups is an important factor towards these results. Permit-granting procedures have shortened, but their effectiveness strongly depend on national implementation. Cross-border cost allocation (CBCA) is beneficial in some cases but CBCA processes are often triggered to obtain access to CEF funding and are often concluded with no costs allocated across borders. Provisions on regulatory incentives are scarcely used. The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grants (EUR 3.7 billion) contributed to the development of 95 PCIs to date. Although the Regulation has been generally effective, efficient and a clear added value of EU intervention, there is a need to improve the relevance and coherence of the Regulation, in the context of the European Green Deal, by prioritising sustainability aspects.