Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen, in a written answer on 12 June 2026, outlined a series of EU monitoring and enforcement actions to address Italy's struggles in meeting energy transition targets, signalling that Brussels is stepping up pressure on Rome to accelerate permitting and administrative reforms. The response directly impacts Italian renewable energy operators facing a 70% drop in permit applications in 2025 and a backlog of over 1,700 environmental impact assessments.
The answer comes in response to a parliamentary question from S&D MEP Pina Picierno, submitted on 23 March 2026, who warned that dramatic slowdowns in authorisation procedures could compromise Italy's ability to meet Green Deal and Fit for 55 targets. Jørgensen confirmed that the Commission is already monitoring Italy's compliance through biannual reports under the Governance Regulation and the European Semester, and has launched infringement proceedings (INFR(2024)0232) against Italy for failing to transpose permitting provisions of the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III). He also noted that the Commission has provided technical support via the Technical Support Instrument to help Italy streamline permitting, digitalise processes, and strengthen administrative capacities.
The answer contains concrete references to existing enforcement tools and deadlines, including the 21 May 2025 transposition deadline for RED III and the 29 May 2026 deadline for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, but offers no new numerical targets or fresh corrective measures beyond reiterating ongoing actions. The policy orientation is one of firm compliance pressure: the Commission is using infringement procedures, capacity-building support, and coordination to remove bottlenecks for permitting, grid expansion, and clean-energy investment. Institutional follow-up is expected through the next progress assessment in 2027 and continued monitoring under the European Semester, with potential further infringement steps if Italy fails to address the identified delays.