Scope 

This targeted analysis will focus on the 9 EU Member States covered by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE (CE) transnational cooperation programme. Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE is one 14 transnational programmes 2021-2027 under the goal of European Territorial Cooperation and a main pillar of the European Cohesion Policy. The Interreg CE 2021-27 programme is closely aligned with the key principles and objectives of both policies, the European Green Deal and the Territorial Agenda 2030. Emphasis on the sustainable and clean energy transition is horizontally embedded within all the programme priorities and specific objectives ranging from innovation, environment, energy, climate change and circular economy to transport, mobility and governance. Furthermore, the programme recognises importance of place-based policies by supporting policy and implementation-oriented actions and emphasizing the territorial dimension and place-based approaches. 

Economically, the CE area is an industrial core of the EU. Its economy generates 30% of EU GDP and its industrial development is a key factor for the global competitiveness of the EU. However, the CE area is characterised by structural differences between urban / industrialised areas and rural / peripheral areas as well as along the former Iron Curtain. Despite major progresses, economic and social differences between ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ countries are still pronounced. 

Energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are key challenges for central Europe. For example, because the energy crisis has caused more investment in oil and gas projects undermining the efforts put in energy transition. In addition, the share of renewables in gross final energy consumption in 2021 differs across CE, from 14.1% in Hungary to 36,4% in Austria. Although majority of CE countries outperformed their self-defined 2020 renewable energy targets, further policy efforts are needed to increase the uptake of renewable energy sources in all sectors. Policies also need to address the reduction of energy demand in all sectors, including transport and facilitate improvement of energy performance of buildings including energy efficient heating and cooling solutions (Interreg CE IP21-274).  

To meet the EU’s energy and climate targets for 2030, EU countries need to establish integrated national energy and climate plans (NECP). An assessment of final NECPs showed that there is a lack of a systematic information on the actual status and implementation progress of local and regional action plans in the CE countries. In order to address the challenges related to climate neutrality, supporting the transition to a climate neutral central Europe is already a long-standing topic of the Interreg CE Programme and remains a key topic also in the Interreg CE 2021-27 Programme.  

This targeted analysis aims to provide a deeper understanding on the type of energy transition policies, the respective territorial levels, and how they can successfully support accelerating clean energy transition towards climate neutrality in central Europe. It will analyse the state of the art of the energy transition trends and identify the existence and implementation level of policy instruments, strategies and action plans. Furthermore, it will identify the predominant success factors and bottlenecks for establishing energy transition policies within the CE territories that can be efficiently addressed and supported through transnational cooperation and tailored governance mechanisms. 

Policy questions to be addressed

The main outputs of the service shall be: 

Stakeholders