Overview
The European Commission oversees that EU countries fully and correctly apply EU energy law. When a country fails to do so, the Commission may take legal action by launching an infringement procedure and eventually referring the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union for a ruling.
List of energy related EU legislation
Progress towards completing the internal energy market: enforcement [SWD(2014)315]
Latest Commission decisions on energy infringements
- December 2015: Commission requests Portugal to comply with Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
- November 2015: Commission requests France to fully transpose the Radioactive Waste Directive
- November 2015: Commission requests France and the Netherlands to fully transpose the EU Energy Efficiency Directive
- November 2015: Commission refers Greece to Court for failing to comply with obligations under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
- October 2015: Commission requests Finland to fully transpose the Oil Stocks Directive
- October 2015: Commission requests eleven Member States to fully transpose the EU Energy Efficiency Directive
- June 2015: Commission refers Greece to Court and gives Germany a final warning regarding the transposition of the Energy Efficiency Directive
- June 2015: Commission refers Romania to Court for failing to adopt an emergency plan in case of gas supply disruption
- June 2015: Commission requests Germany to fully transpose the EU Energy Efficiency Directive
- June 2015: Commission requests Austria and the United Kingdom to comply with Energy Efficiency in Buildings Directive
- June 2015: Commission requests Spain and the United Kingdom to fully transpose EU rules on oil stocks
- April 2015: Poland asked to correctly apply the Renewable Energy Directive
- April 2015: Energy efficiency in buildings: Commission asks Italy, the Netherlands and Poland to comply with EU rules
- April 2015: Commission requests Austria, Croatia, Ireland, Latvia and Romania to fully transpose the EU Energy Efficiency Directive
- March 2015: Energy efficiency: Commission refers Hungary to Court and proposes fines for failing to fully transpose EU energy efficiency rules
- March 2015: Spain asked to correctly apply the Renewable Energy Directive
- February 2015: Commission withdraws Court case against Poland for failing to transpose EU rules
- February 2015: Commission requests Greece, Portugal and Slovenia to comply with EU rules on Energy Efficiency Directive
- November 2014: Security of gas supply: Romania is asked to comply with EU rules
- November 2014: Greece is requested to comply with its obligations under the EU legislation on energy efficiency in buildings
- November 2014: Bulgaria and Hungary are requested to fully transpose the EU legislation on energy efficiency
- September 2014: Belgium, Luxembourg, Latvia, The Netherlands and Slovenia are called upon to comply with EU rules on minimum oil stocks
- September 2014: Commission asks Germany and Slovenia to enact EU rules on waste electrical and electronic equipment
- July 2014: Commission refers Poland and Austria to Court and proposes fines for failing to fully transpose the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
- April 2014: Commission refers Belgium and Finland to Court for failing to fully transpose EU rules on the energy efficiency of buildings
- March 2014: Energy Services- the Commission asks Lithuania to ensure that heat and hot-water consumers are provided with individual meters
- February 2014: Commission is referring Cyprus to the Court for failing to transpose the EU rules on minimum oil reserves
- February 2014: Commission refers Ireland to Court for failing to transpose EU internal energy market rules
- January 2014: Commission refers Ireland to Court for failing to transpose EU rules on renewables
- January 2014: the Commission asks the Czech Republic to ensure that final energy consumers are provided with individual meters
Earlier energy infringement decisions
Competition and state aid
EU policies on fair competition cover energy policy in order to ensure the proper functioning of EU energy markets. The Commission's department for competition is responsible for enforcing competition rules on antitrust, cartels, mergers and state aid.
State aid is a key part of competition policy. The Commission's current state aid guidelines and rules on types of state aid compatible with the EU Treaty, are aimed at helping EU countries reach their 2020 and 2030 climate and energy targets without distorting the market.
Related links
Court of Justice of the European Union
Application of EU law (Secretariat-General)
Access to European Union law (EurLex)
Searching the repository of all European Commission infringement decisions