A cover note dated 22 June 2026 from the Council of the European Union transmits an opinion by the Polish Senate's European Union Affairs Committee (EUAC) on the proposed Regulation for trans-European energy infrastructure (COM(2025)1006). Adopted on 9 June 2026, the opinion broadly supports the Commission's goals of accelerating infrastructure, integrating renewables, increasing grid capacity, and simplifying permitting for Projects of Common and Mutual Interest (PCI/PMI), but raises several reservations on governance and Member State autonomy.
The EUAC objects to the Commission's proposal to develop a single central EU-wide network development scenario, arguing that the current bottom-up system, led by transmission system operators' associations and Member States, functions properly. It proposes keeping unchanged Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2019/943 and Article 60 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1789, which enshrine the existing decentralised planning process. The committee insists that Member States, national regulators, and system operators must retain the lead role in identifying investment priorities, and that all PCI/PMI projects require the consent of the relevant Member States.
Additionally, the EUAC opposes allowing non-transmission system operators to apply for additional electricity projects, a provision it sees as undermining the role of established operators. It also questions proposed restrictions on Member States' freedom to use congestion income, calling this an excessive interference with powers granted under Article 19(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/943.
The opinion reflects a broader tension between EU-level coordination and national sovereignty in energy infrastructure planning. While the Commission aims to streamline permitting and boost cross-border grid capacity to meet climate targets, the Polish committee's reservations signal that some Member States are wary of ceding control over network development and revenue allocation. The proposed Regulation, which also amends several existing energy regulations and repeals Regulation (EU) 2022/869, will now proceed through the ordinary legislative procedure, with the European Parliament and Council expected to debate the contested provisions.
The Polish Senate's position, if adopted by other Member States, could slow the shift to centralised planning, preserving influence for national regulators and system operators but potentially delaying cross-border infrastructure projects. Non-transmission operators seeking to invest in grid projects would face continued barriers. The Commission's ambition to accelerate permitting and digitalisation may be constrained if Member States insist on maintaining the current bottom-up model. Consumers and renewable energy developers stand to benefit from faster infrastructure deployment if the regulation is adopted as proposed, but the Polish objections could lead to a more limited scope, reducing the speed of grid expansion and integration of renewables across borders.