Polish MEP Arkadiusz Mularczyk (ECR) has challenged the European Commission over its decision not to introduce EU-wide minimum distance rules for large-scale energy storage facilities near housing, arguing the move may violate the precautionary principle enshrined in the EU treaties.
In a written parliamentary question dated 9 July 2026, Mularczyk asks whether accelerating permits for such facilities without common siting standards is compatible with Article 191(2) TFEU, which requires Union environmental policy to be based on the precautionary principle and ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment. He also demands to know which scientific analyses or risk assessments led the Commission to conclude that the absence of minimum distances would not harm resident safety or environmental protection.
The question follows a previous exchange in which the Commission confirmed it supports faster permitting for large-scale energy storage but sees spatial planning as a national competence. Mularczyk's intervention targets a potential gap between EU climate goals and local safety concerns, pitting the push for rapid renewable deployment against the precautionary principle. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal whether it sees a need for EU-level safety standards or continues to rely on member state regulation.