Overview
The legislative file "Trans-European energy infrastructure: guidelines" (2025/0399(COD)) is a Commission proposal under the ordinary legislative procedure, currently at the first-reading stage in the European Parliament. The file forms part of the broader "European Grids Package," which also includes a proposed Permitting Directive. The proposal aims to revise the Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) Regulation to enhance EU-wide energy infrastructure planning, financing, and permitting. The European Parliament’s status is "Awaiting committee decision," and the overall procedure is ongoing. This analysis is based on the Council document (ST 6281 2026 INIT), which is a Presidency background note prepared to structure a policy debate among EU Energy Ministers.
Legislative timeline
The file was referred to the European Parliament’s responsible committee on 12 February 2026. The next key step is the preparation of the committee report. On the Council side, a policy debate among Energy Ministers is scheduled for 3 April 2026, aimed at providing high-level political guidance to resolve disagreements and advance the Council’s negotiation position.
Institutional handling
In the European Parliament, the lead committee is the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy (ENER), under Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, is responsible for the proposal. In the Council, the file is handled by the Competitiveness Council (COMPET) configuration, with the upcoming ministerial debate intended to steer technical negotiations.
Stakeholder reactions
Stakeholder engagement has been active, with 82 documented meetings (63 with MEPs, 15 with Commissioners, and 4 with European Commission staff) involving 59 distinct organisations. The most frequently encountered organisations include Eurelectric aisbl, TransnetBW GmbH, Green Power Denmark, Fortum, and the Copelouzos Group. On the topic of "EU energy infrastructure integration," several stakeholders expressed opposition, though their positions often align with strengthening interconnectivity. The Copelouzos Group explicitly promotes grid interconnectivity by highlighting the GREGY interconnector project. Fortum stressed the need for an integrated internal energy market for EU competitiveness. Koncar group discussed grid development planning and financing, including EU funding instruments, while SNAM promoted interconnectivity by presenting Projects of Common Interest such as the SouthH2Corridor and Ravenna CCS. Regarding "EU industrial funding," Koncar group and Minna Martikainen, Rector of Vaasa University, indicated positions favoring larger EU funding for industry. On "Energy (green transition)," Minna Martikainen’s position subtly favors prioritizing environmental objectives.
Media coverage
Three news articles from two countries (Brussels and Germany) have been identified. One article reports that the EU is pushing for stronger energy infrastructure protection and diversified gas supplies, linking future funding to security measures while accelerating renewables growth, with debates including LNG dependency. Another article notes that the EU Council’s Working Party on Energy is preparing a technical meeting to align member states on energy regulations under TEN-E, focusing on information sharing and coordination rather than binding decisions. A third article states that the EU Council is exploring energy infrastructure and permitting reforms through a technical, preparatory process, indicating potential but not yet final policy changes.