In its March plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) emphasised the need for the EU to adopt more decentralised energy solutions and to improve coordination of electricity grids. It was highlighted that networks should be rapidly digitalised and aligned with national energy and climate plans.
The EESC asserted that the European Union requires a sustainable, secure, and affordable energy supply, which must be regarded as a public good essential for the EU’s prosperity, economic and social development, and competitiveness.
In the opinion adopted in March, drafted by Thomas Kattnig, the Committee underscored the economic significance of the energy system, as mentioned in the Draghi report. Energy prices are pivotal to overall inflation; therefore, reducing network costs is crucial to prevent further increases in grid tariffs. The EESC stressed that grid development must be well coordinated with current needs arising from the integration of renewable energy, as well as with the desired energy mix and electricity generation structure.
Moreover, the EESC emphasised the importance of prioritising the efficient use of existing grids, advocating for optimisation over expansion, supported by flexible solutions. Specifically, the Committee supports the expansion of decentralised energy generation, which can alleviate grid pressure, reduce the need for grid expansion, and enhance public acceptance of the energy transition.
At the same time, the EU requires better coordination concerning electricity grids. Therefore, the EESC calls for enhanced EU coordination in grid governance, while ensuring that Member States retain responsibility for planning and oversight, as they primarily bear the costs associated with grid expansion, congestion management, and stability.
The Committee also highlighted the need to accelerate the digitalisation of electricity networks and ensure that development plans for these networks align with national energy and climate plans (NECPs). Additionally, it supports increasing the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), as EU planning should be complemented by EU funding. The use of CEF funds should promote EU value creation and include socio-economic conditionalities that are developed and agreed upon by national social partners. These conditionalities should ensure compliance with labour law standards established by the EU, national law, and collective bargaining agreements, while avoiding undue discrimination against certain types of companies or Member States, and enabling innovation, participation by SMEs, and timely project delivery.
Finally, electricity grids are not merely infrastructure; they are crucial to security. Grid expansion must be recognised as a security-related infrastructure measure, requiring faster permitting processes and well-resourced authorities to ensure that Europe can truly provide affordable and secure energy for all. In light of this, the EESC stresses that grid expansion should be recognised as a security infrastructure measure and explicitly included in the financing and support provisions of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) Regulation (EU) 2025/1106, as a central component of the EU’s security, resilience, and defence capabilities.
“Europe needs strong, smart and secure electricity grids,” said Thomas Kattnig during the plenary session. “They must be organised as a public good that guarantees security of supply, sustainability and affordability.”
The European Union has a vast electricity network of over 11 million kilometres that delivers high-quality power but faces challenges such as grid capacity constraints and security threats.
In December 2025, the European Commission introduced the European Grids Package to modernise these networks, improve cross-border planning, and support the transition away from fossil fuels. The package aims to simplify project permitting, enhance technology use, unlock investment, and increase resilience against risks, preparing energy grids for future demand.
