Local and regional leaders have welcomed that the European Commission is stepping up efforts to tackle energy poverty, strengthen energy resilience and deliver clean energy to EU citizens and businesses, but regret that the European Commission's Affordable Energy Action Plan lacks tailored measures for cities and regions and doesn't take fully into account their crucial role in the energy transition. The opinion led by the Mayor of Łódź Hanna Zdanowska (PL/EPP) was adopted by the European Committee of the Regions on 10 December.
Presenting her opinion Rapporteur Hanna Zdanowska (PL/EPP), Mayor of the City of Łódź: “No citizen in Europe should have to worry about whether they can heat their home or keep the lights on. Affordable, secure, and clean energy is a basic condition for dignity, development and social cohesion. When discussing the energy transition, we should consider national challenges, opportunities, needs, and socio-economic contexts, as well as the specific characteristics of the regions. And we – local governments, but also our residents and businesses – face many challenges in this transition, from limited financial and organizational resources to legislative and bureaucratic obstacles.”
Alfonso Rueda Valenzuela (ES/EPP), President of the Regional Government of Galicia, underlined that Galicia has all the resources to be a powerhouse in renewables. “In fact, we already are: we exceed 84% clean electricity generation, with over 7,700 MW installed in wind and hydroelectric power. This not only contributes to more sustainable energy but also helps reduce electricity prices. But we face a contradiction: we produce green energy that we cannot always make use of due to insufficient grid capacity, while our industries suffer from not having access to competitive prices. Affordable energy means future and well-being. In Galicia we are ready to make this possible, but this requires European support: the next financial framework must prioritise investment in local grids and financing mechanisms adapted to territorial realities. Only then will energy security truly become a condition for competitiveness and equality.”
Mirjam Sterk (NL/EPP), Regional Minister of the Province of Utrecht, stressed that grid congestion and the energy transition are not merely technical challenges but governance challenges. "Because of grid congestion, new companies, neighbourhoods and sometimes even schools in my region cannot be connected to the grid. Regions and cities are on the frontline, and we need the right tools and frameworks.” She outlined a series of proposals: “First, the European Grid Package must prioritise optimising the existing system, not only building new infrastructure. Second, we need space for innovation: sandbox models and simplified permitting in acceleration zones can help tackle current challenges and bottlenecks. Third, data access matters. Without transparent energy and emissions data, and EU-wide digital twin standards, regions cannot plan effectively. Fourth, we need fair choices and funding: a harmonised EU approach to cost–benefit analysis and a dedicated instrument linked to emissions trading system revenues for decentralised projects.”
Rastislav Trnka (SK/EPP), Chairman of the Košice Self-Governing Region, highlighted the tangible progress his region is delivering under the Green Deal: “We are harnessing one of Central Europe’s largest geothermal sources to decarbonise heating for thousands, while simultaneously building Slovakia’s first hydrogen valley. We have proven, climate-protecting solutions that cut energy bills. We only need the political will to send the resources directly to us, the innovators.”
Dimitris Kafantaris, Mayor of Pylos-Nestor (EL/EPP) said “Affordable energy is a question of dignity for our citizens, and local and regional authorities are on the frontline of ensuring universal access. LRAs need a clear directive from the EU that guarantees they are given priority in developing access to affordable energy networks. We need access to these tools without unnecessary red tape or bureaucratic obstacles. A just transition is only possible with the full involvement of LRAs.”
Markku Markkula, Member of Espoo City Council (FI/EPP) added “As LRAs, we must create the right conditions for private innovation to flourish. We need to encourage companies to develop new solutions that ensure affordable energy for our citizens and businesses.”
Energy production and consumption account for over 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that decarbonising the EU’s energy system is essential for the EU's climate targets. At the same time, high energy costs currently affect more than 47 million Europeans. The CoR opinion underlines that access to affordable, stable and clean energy is a cornerstone of economic and social development and cohesion, and that the energy transition must take place in a cost-efficient, technology-neutral and socially fair way.
Amid the current geopolitical tensions, the CoR stresses that the EU must safeguard accessible, reliable and predominantly domestic clean energy sources and ensure that regions are energy-independent and self-reliant in cases of blackouts and supply disruptions. The resilience of energy infrastructure must be prioritised against possible military threats and extreme weather events.
Regions and cities recall their pivotal role in providing stable and affordable energy, developing energy infrastructure and engaging communities in the transition. The opinion urges to develop a multilevel governance model where cities and regions act not only as implementers but also as co-designers of EU and national energy policies. This requires equipping local and regional authorities with the competences, skills, resources and targeted support according to their specific constraints, infrastructure gaps and resource availability. The CoR also believes it should be involved in the Energy Union Task Force established by the European Commission earlier this year.
The CoR considers that energy transition must be one of the priorities in the next multiannual EU budget and that local and regional authorities must remain fully empowered in the implementation. It calls on the Member States to adjust their fiscal and budgetary rules so that investments in energy transition at local and regional level are exempted or treated more flexibly. There's also a need to establish new mechanisms to mobilise significant private investment and to boost workforce skills for the energy transition.
Considering that the necessary energy efficiency improvements and building renovations disproportionately affect low-income and energy-poor households, the CoR calls for targeted local measures such as municipal renovation programmes, zero-interest loans, support for community-driven energy projects and housing cooperatives, social tariffs and direct financial assistance.
The opinion calls for a binding EU framework to gradually phase out all direct and indirect fossil fuel subsidies, while ensuring energy security, affordability and competitiveness. At the same time, it warns that implementing the ETS2 its current form risks generating a sharp increase in energy poverty and could undermine public trust in climate policy and the EU. It also stresses that the EU’s 2040 emission reduction target, agreed on 9 December, should be accompanied by the enabling conditions for citizens and industry and must be pursued in a way that safeguards competitiveness and long-term stability in the EU.
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The Affordable Energy Action Plan presented by the European Commission in February 2025 aims to reduce energy costs for households and businesses, complete the Energy Union, strengthen energy security and attract investment in the clean energy sector. On 10 December, the European Commission presented the European Grids Package with the aim to bring a truly European perspective on infrastructure planning, while accelerating permitting procedures and ensuring a fairer division of costs regarding cross-border projects.
A recent ENVE study on the energy transition provides detailed insights into existing barriers and regional disparities across all Member States.
