State aid to important projects of common European interest

ClientEarth's response to the European Commission’s roadmap on the revision of the Communication on important projects of common European interest.

The IPCEI Communication should be aligned with the new laws and policies that are driving the Union’s action, notably the European Green Deal and its various implementing or derived policies, as well as relevant legislation stemming from the Clean Energy Package for energy infrastructure projects.

This implies that projects should only qualify as Important Projects of Common European Interest and be eligible for State aid if projects comply with their environmental law obligations, are sustainable, go well beyond the Union standards and have significant net spillover effects and benefits for European society. More specifically for energy infrastructure projects, any aid to fossil fuels shall be excluded from the scope of application of the IPCEI Communication and the Energy Efficiency First principle shall always be duly implemented.