Consultation on the list of candidate Projects of Common Interest in all infrastructure categories

Member States national authorities, individual companies, industry associations, Small and Medium Enterprises(s), consumer organisations, trade unions, NGOs, environmental organisations, consultancies, workers and employers' federations, other relevant stakeholders and citizens.

The consultation on the list of candidate Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs) in all infrastructure categories in view of adopting the first Union list of PCI/ PMIs has been launched and will remain open until 16.03.2023 (midnight).  

Regulation (EU) 2022/869 (in the following, “the revised TEN-E Regulation”), in force since June 2022, lays down guidelines for the timely development and interoperability of the priority corridors and areas of trans-European energy infrastructure which contribute to climate change mitigation by supporting the achievement of the EU climate and energy 2030 targets and the EU climate neutrality objective by 2050 at the latest. The revised TEN-E Regulation enables the development of interconnections, strengthens energy security, furthers market and system integration and promotes competition that benefits all Member States and their citizens.

As part of this framework, eleven priority corridors and three thematic areas have been identified as requiring urgent infrastructure upgrades. The revised TEN-E Regulation also lays down the procedure and criteria for a project to become a PCI on any of these corridors and thematic areas. The revised TEN-E Regulation includes in its scope for the first time selection criteria for PMIs between the Union and third countries on policy convergence, mutual benefit and contribution to accelerating energy transition and achieving climate targets.

The identification and selection of PCIs is based on a regional approach, being carried out by multi-stakeholder Regional Groups consisting of representatives of competent ministries, national regulatory authorities, individual electricity and gas transmission system operators and other project promoters, the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO) for electricity and gas, the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators and the European Commission. The meetings of the Regional Groups are open to all interested parties, such as utilities, industry associations, environmental and consumer organisations and representatives of civil society, who are invited, consulted and expected to contribute to the work carried out within these groups.

Every two years, the PCI process kicks off with the project submission phase. Project promoters submit their project proposals for electricity transmission and storage infrastructure, hydrogen and electrolysers, smart electricity grids, smart gas grids and CO2 networks to the dedicated Regional Groups for assessment. These project proposals become candidates for the status of PCI and PMI. Regional Groups evaluate the candidate projects against the general and specific criteria as defined in the revised TEN-E Regulation, focusing on the contribution of these projects from an energy policy perspective.

On 21 December, the Commission launched a 12 weeks consultation until 16 March seeking public and stakeholders’ views which will be presented to the Regional Groups in view of their assessment of the candidate projects.

In addition to the project infrastructure categories mentioned above, the Commission is also consulting on the application of Article 24 of the revised TEN-E Regulation regarding the Derogation for interconnections for Cyprus and Malta.

This assessment by the regional groups will be carried out in spring 2023 with a view to adopting the first Union list of PCIs and PMIs under the new TEN-E Regulation in November 2023.

Before submitting their contribution to the consultation on candidate PCI/PMIs in all infrastructure categories, respondents are invited to consult the detailed information provided for each candidate project.

This consultation is open to all interested stakeholders from 21 December to 16 March.

How to submit your response

We welcome contributions from citizens, organisations and public authorities through the online questionnaires.

• Electricity transmission and storage infrastructure
• Hydrogen infrastructure and electrolysers
• Smart electricity grids
• Smart gas grids
• CO2 networks

We welcome your contribution in any official language of the European Union. However, due to delays in translating comments submitted in languages other than English, the treatment of the replies will be slightly longer.  

Contributions and list of candidate projects

Shortly after the end of the consultation period, the contributions were made available on the CIRCABC.

We would draw your attention to the specific privacy statement for this consultation regarding the collection and use of your personal data provided on this occasion and the rights and obligation deriving therein.