State Secretary Feicht discusses energy-policy aspects of the 'Fit for 55' package of measures with European energy ministers

Andreas Feicht, State Secretary in charge of energy policy at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, attended the informal meeting of energy ministers at Brdo pri Kranju near Ljubljana, Slovenia, today.

The focus of the meeting was on the proposals submitted by the European Commission in the context of the 'Fit for 55' legislative package to revise the EU Renewable Energy Directive and the Energy Efficiency Directive. The Commission’s proposals include higher energy savings and a larger proportion of renewable energy by 2030 so that the EU’s new 2030 climate target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 55% compared with 1990 can be reached. Furthermore, the European energy and transport ministers exchanged views on the current challenges in terms of the expansion of e-mobility.

After the meeting, State Secretary Feicht said: "I am delighted that today I had the opportunity to discuss for the first time the energy-policy aspects of the European Commission’s proposals of the 'Fit for 55' legislative package with European counterparts. Thanks to the progress being made on vaccinations in the EU, it was possible to meet in person. We agree that the coming decade will be decisive to incentivise the necessary technologies and infrastructure and the investment needed to make the energy transition and the planned climate neutrality in Europe a lasting economic success. I therefore welcome the fact that the European Commission proposes higher targets for the expansion of renewable energy in the EU and higher energy savings. We will need both so that we can fulfil our ambitious climate and energy-policy commitments in the EU."

These legislative proposals will be negotiated in the relevant Council bodies and in the European Parliament in the coming months.