EU Energy
EU energy law, explained directive by directive
The EU energy framework is complex, and there are concerns about whether its directives are correctly transposed into national law. We bring each directive together with the national measures that implement it in every EU Member State, and explain the key changes in plain language.
The problem
Information on EU energy law across the Member States is hard to find and hard to read
Outdated official listsNational authorities often present EU legislation only as a list of basic directives on ministry websites. Such lists are rarely updated and do not link to the Official Journal of the EU or to related EU policies.
No clear implementing measures in national languagesNational implementing measures are often not published in a public, easily readable form in the language of the Member State.
A complex frameworkEU energy law changes often and is very complicated. Following it requires specialised expertise, including foreign experts, and a way to pass the information on to regional and local contact points.
Inconsistent policy informationInformation on EU energy policies is not consistent and often covers only topics that are popular, for example around European Parliament elections.
Our approach
One directive, one page, with the national law next to it
Each directive gets its own page, built around the content published by the European Commission and the Official Journal of the EU.
- 01Consolidated textThe current consolidated version of each directive, with links to the Official Journal of the EU.
- 02National implementing measuresThe legislation of each Member State that transposes the directive, shown side by side with the EU rules.
- 03Major amendments explainedKey changes described in a clear, comprehensible way, without legal jargon.
- 04Energy literacyEnergy initiatives linked to the policies of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy.
Methodology
How we carry out a prima facie conformity check
The method follows the specific nature of each directive: its binding and non-binding rules, technical requirements and national targets, and the way the Member State notifies its implementing measures. We respect the structure of the national legal framework, from general legislation to specific acts, and assess every national implementing measure against the transposition deadlines set by the directive.
For each national implementing measure we record
- Personal scope: every category of addressee in the directive must be reflected in the national provisions.
- Key dates: date of adoption and entry into force.
- Description: a short summary based on the national explanatory report.
- Type of act: whether it is a basic act or an amendment.
- Legal force: binding or non-binding, and which authorities or legal and natural persons it addresses.
Our experts also assess
- Standards: whether national measures follow harmonised or European standards and the technical specifications of the European standardisation organisations.
- Commission measures: related obligations of the European Commission, such as delegated acts under the Renewable Energy Directive and its report on support schemes for biomass, including forest biomass.
- Interpretation: where the law is ambiguous, further legislation and relevant case law on practical implementation.
- Practice: findings from stakeholder interviews on how the rules work in practice.
- Non-binding and non-notified measures: whether soft-law measures matter for implementation, and whether a provision is transposed by measures not notified to the Commission.
Directives covered
Key EU energy directives
Several of these acts have recently been replaced or substantially amended. The status shown below helps you see which rules apply today.
Energy performance of buildings
↻ Replaced by Directive (EU) 2024/1275Common rules for the internal market for electricity
✓ In forceMinimum stocks of crude oil and petroleum products
✓ In forceEcodesign requirements for energy-related products
↻ Replaced by Regulation (EU) 2024/1781Security of electricity supply and infrastructure investment
↻ Replaced by Regulation (EU) 2019/941Common rules for the internal market in natural gas
↻ Replaced by Directive (EU) 2024/1788Taxation of energy products and electricity
● In force, revision under negotiationPromotion of energy from renewable sources
● In force, amended by Directive (EU) 2023/2413Project goals
Helping consumers take an active part in the energy transition
The project aims to increase knowledge and understanding of the following topics.
Demand response
How consumers, or third parties they nominate, can act on consumption and billing information to reduce or shift their use, saving energy in final consumption as well as in generation, transmission and distribution. Demand response can rely on price signals or building automation, and access to it should improve, including for small consumers.
Equal market access
Market integration and equal entry opportunities for demand-side resources alongside generation, with national energy regulators taking an integrated view of savings in both supply and end use.
Decarbonisation
The common goal of decarbonising the energy system brings new opportunities and challenges for market participants, while new technology enables new forms of consumer participation and cross-border cooperation.
A retail market that serves consumers
The Commission’s vision of a retail market better linked to wholesale markets, where innovative energy service companies help all consumers manage their consumption, save money and reduce overall energy use.
Real-time information
Without real-time or near real-time data on their consumption, consumers cannot be active market participants. Giving them the right tools helps citizens benefit from the internal electricity market and supports the EU’s renewable energy targets.
Why it matters for consumers
Transparency alone may not be enough
Behavioural economics shows that consumer decisions are often shaped by cognitive biases, especially online, and that traders can exploit them for commercial purposes. These new risks can affect almost every consumer. Transparency obligations help reduce information gaps, but further assessment is needed to decide whether additional measures are required to address this changing form of vulnerability.
Contact
Need to check how an energy directive applies in your Member State?
Tell us which directive, Member State and question you are dealing with. We will reply with a proposed scope.