In order to obtain the public’s views on the pertinence and added value of the proposed projects for the upcoming Union list of Projects of Common Interest, a consultation was launched on 22 November 2018 by the European Commission. It will be open until the 28th of February 2019.
The consultation focuses on specific candidate projects in the field of electricity only. Similar consultations for projects in gas, oil, smart grids, and cross-border carbon dioxide networks will follow. The aim is to receive the public’s opinion on the way these projects contribute to market integration, sustainability, security of supply and competition from an EU energy policy perspective.
In order to submit your response, you must fill in an online questionnaire. Contributions from citizens, organisations and public authorities are welcome. In addition, respondents can also submit position papers to the functional mailbox: ener-b1-projects@ec.europa.eu
Projects of common interest (PCIs) are key energy infrastructure projects aimed at completing the European energy market in order to help the EU achieve its energy policy and climate objectives: affordable, secure and sustainable energy for all citizens, as well as the long-term decarbonisation of the economy in accordance with the Paris Agreement.
Projects selected as PCIs can automatically benefit from several advantages, including an accelerated permit granting and improved regulatory treatment. Likewise, PCI status is a precondition for grants under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), though it does not guarantee the award of such a grant.
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