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13 July 2021
Publication series – 67 of 66 Insights
Fit for 55
- Briefing
Question: What is "Fit for 55" about?
Answer: In September 2020, the European Union decided to raise the EU climate target: by 2030, the European Union's greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 55 per cent compared to the amount emitted in 1990. Previously, a reduction of 40 percent was planned. On 14 July 2021, the EU Commission will present a comprehensive package of measures to adapt the legal framework of European energy and climate policy to this new target, the first part of the so-called "Fit for 55 Package". The second part of the package, which is linked to the European Green Deal, is to be presented in December 2021.
Question: Which projects are included in the "Fit for 55 Package" of the European Commission?
Answer: The "Fit for 55 Package" is intended to fundamentally revise the EU's energy policy framework and thus adapt it to the updated climate targets. While the focus in December 2021 will be on decarbonised gas and the buildings sector, ten initiatives are planned for 14 July 2021. Overall, the "Fit for 55 Package" with the initiatives listed below is the central measures package of the European Green Deal:
- Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), including maritime transport, aviation and CORSIA
- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
- Revision of the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR)
- Revision of the Energy Tax Directive (ETD)
- Amendments to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to implement the ambition of the new 2030 climate target
- Amendments to the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) to implement the ambition of the new 2030 climate target
- Reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector
- Revision of the regulation on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF)
- Revision of the Directive on the Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure
- Revision of the Regulation setting CO2 standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles
- Revision of the Third Energy Package for gas (Directive 2009/73/EU and Regulation 715/2009/EU) to regulate competitive decarbonised gas markets in Q4 2021
- Revision of the energy performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in Q4 2021
Question: Which projects are of particular importance for the energy industry?
Answer: Of the twelve initiatives that will be introduced by the end of 2021, the majority is of great importance for the energy industry. In particular, the Commission plans to revise and tighten the EU Emissions Trading System and to adjust the effort sharing between the individual Member States. The revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) aims to increase the share of renewable energies in all sectors over the next ten years through a faster corresponding expansion as well as an increasing integration of the energy system. The introduction of a new carbon border adjustment mechanism as well as the revisions of the Directive on the Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure, the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Regulation on Emissions from Land Use (LULUCF) and the Energy Taxation Directive also directly affect the energy industry.
With the amendment of the Internal Gas Market Directive and the Internal Gas Market Regulation (suggestions will follow in December 2021), hydrogen in particular is to be included in the legal framework in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Both questions of infrastructure planning and market regulation play a role here. Even though this regulation is likely to be a blueprint for the regulations for a hydrogen infrastructure that are currently also being discussed in Germany, questions of financing and standardisation (avoiding market segmentation, for example, through differences in the quality of hydrogen and different national quotas for admixture) will also play a role at the European level, in addition to proprietary questions.
Question: How is the process likely to continue?
Answer: Vice-President Franz Timmermans will present the plans in Brussels on 14 July 2021. This marks the beginning of what is likely to be a long process, at the end of which the Commission, the Parliament and the Member States will have to reach agreement. This will be a challenge, especially due to the new focus of the package: According to the current state of the drafts, the focus is no longer exclusively on what the European Union or individual Member States can afford in terms of climate protection. The focus now seems to be on achieving the reduction targets and thus on the question of what adjustments are necessary to achieve them. An additional challenge that makes it difficult to agree on the contents of the overall package relates to the question how to support industries and companies that compete internationally, often with companies from countries where the financial burden of environmental protection is lower. Maintaining international competitiveness will be instrumental in gaining the required support for the Commission's initiatives. –For now, these are, however, only draft initiatives. It is not yet possible to predict when the implementation phase will begin in the individual Member States and what specific content the parties involved will have agreed on at that time.
Do you have any questions or are you interested in an (interdisciplinary) exchange with our Energy & Infrastructure team? We look forward talking to you!
In this series
FIDIC – An introduction to the FIDIC Suite 2017
22 October 2025
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The Renewable Energy Expansion Acceleration Act – a boost for the energy transition in Austria?
23 September 2025
Federal Network Agency discussion paper on reforming grid fees for industry and commerce
25 September 2025
by Multiple authors
German-Dutch Treaty on Cross-Border Energy Projects
18 September 2025
by Multiple authors
Energy communities in Austria and the new Electricity Industry Act (ElWG)
15 September 2025
New amendment to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) introduced in July and August 2025
8 September 2025
Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) – a new state aid framework for the green transformation of industry
8 September 2025
by Dr. Michael Brüggemann, Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag)
Industrial electricity prices: initial assessment and opportunities for businesses
18 August 2025
by Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag), Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Regulatory Framework for Transmission System Operators in Germany
18 August 2025
by Multiple authors
Court ruling on the effectiveness of availability guarantees for wind turbines
31 July 2025
New Legal Framework for the Commercial Use of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)
11 July 2025
by Multiple authors
Are offshore wind converter platforms a bottleneck in the energy transition? New German government wants to create production capacities at German shipyards
17 June 2025
by Multiple authors
Speeding up the energy transition - the new German government’s plans for gas and steam power plants and its quest for the right technology for renewable energy
8 May 2025
by Multiple authors
Update - Change of government opens the door to carbon capture and storage and carbon capture and utilisation
17 April 2025
by Multiple authors
The special fund for infrastructure and climate protection - what is next?
10 April 2025
by Multiple authors
Changes to CBAM through Omnibus legislative package
10 April 2025
The role of heat probes in the energy transition: Authorisation procedures and potential
26 March 2025
CJEU judgement on customer installations in accordance with Section 3 No. 24a Law on the Energy Industry EnWG
26 March 2025
by Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham), Dr. Christian Ertel
Will the new German government open the door for carbon capture and storage?
26 February 2025
by Multiple authors
Waste heat from data centres - new reporting obligations under the EnEfG
6 February 2025
by Multiple authors
Oman and Belgium Sign Landmark MoU on Green Hydrogen Cooperation
11 December 2024
Decision day: Grid fee exemption in customer systems and energy price brake put to the test
28 November 2024
by Dr. Christian Ertel, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Hydrogen core network - The Federal Network Agency’s strategy for the energy transition
11 November 2024
by Multiple authors
Amendment to the Energy Industry Act: changes for energy supply companies and grid and system operators
18 September 2024
by Dr. Christian Ertel, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Standard Essential Patents: A new challenge for the IoT and smart meter world
10 September 2024
Land acquisition and data protection: The importance of the GDPR when project developers request owner data
18 July 2024
by Dr. Patrick Vincent Zurheide, LL.M. (Aberdeen), Dr. Julia Wulff
Municipalities to share profit in wind turbines and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems
11 July 2024
by Multiple authors
Solar Package I - Overview of Changes to Ground-Mounted and Building-Mounted PV Systems
27 May 2024
Mandatory special charge for open space photovoltaic systems in Brandenburg
21 February 2024
by Multiple authors
A new era for wind energy investments in Hungary
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
26 January 2024
Updating the National Hydrogen Strategy
6 November 2023
by Dr. Niels L. Lange, LL.M. (Stellenbosch), Dr. Janina Pochhammer
The new CO2 border adjustment mechanism (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism - “CBAM”) - first statutory reporting obligations set for January 2024
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
3 November 2023
New IT security requirements for the energy sector
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
1 September 2023
by Dr. Paul Voigt, Lic. en Derecho, CIPP/E, Alexander Schmalenberger, LL.B.
Does monument protection hinder the expansion of renewable energies?
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
16 August 2023
The amending law to strengthen digitisation in the urban land use planning process and the further expansion of renewable energies
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
6 July 2023
Challenges for data center operators - The federal government’s draft bill for an energy efficiency act
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 April 2023
by Multiple authors
The Energy Charter Treaty in the Light of the Electricity Price Brake: An opportunity for investors to litigate?
27 January 2023
Ordinance for Determining Critical Infrastructures (KritisV): Renewable energy plants as critical infrastructure and requirements for IT protection
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 July 2022
by Dr. Paul Voigt, Lic. en Derecho, CIPP/E, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Liquefied Natural Gas Projects in Germany: The LNG Acceleration Act
Q&A series: Energy & Infrastructure
10 June 2022
Participation of local municipalities in the context of wind and photovoltaic projects
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
5 May 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – France
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
27 April 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up - United Kingdom
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
15 March 2022
Building energy performance: the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
14 February 2022
Fit for 55 – Hydrogen and the Reform of the European Gas Market
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
11 January 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Netherlands
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
2 December 2021
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Poland
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
21 September 2021
by Olav Nemling
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Austria
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
18 August 2021
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up - Germany
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 July 2021
Floating Foundations for Offshore Wind Farms
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
8 June 2021
Species protection exemption: Significance for wind energy
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
25 May 2021
Power-to-Hydrogen
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
6 April 2021
Focus PV – Floating Solar and Agrivoltaics
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
23 March 2021
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New Legal Framework for the Commercial Use of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)
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Challenges for data center operators - The federal government’s draft bill for an energy efficiency act
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