In its regular package of infringement decisions, the European Commission pursues legal action against Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law. These decisions, covering various sectors and EU policy areas, aim to ensure the proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses.
In the list of June infringements, there are 3 energy-related reasoned opinions and additional reasoned opinions and 1 referral to the Court of Justice.
Reasoned opinions and additional reasoned opinions
Commission urges Hungary and Romania to fully transpose EU rules on energy efficiency
Today, the European Commission decided to send reasoned opinions to Hungary (INFR(2025)0331) and Romania (INFR(2025)0358) for failing to fully transpose into national law the provisions of the recast Energy Efficiency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/1791). The revised Directive was adopted in 2023 replacing the previous Directive 2012/27/EU and Member States had to notify its transposition measures by 11 October 2025, except for some specific provisions which had specific deadlines. It introduces more ambitious measures for energy efficiency, which will help reduce overall energy consumption in the EU and thus contribute to reaching the Union’s climate ambition and enhance energy security and affordability. It sets targets for energy consumption and energy savings, with a special focus on measures to alleviate energy poverty, as well as targets for consumption of public authorities and renovation of buildings owned by public authorities. It also introduces the ‘energy efficiency first principle’ as a fundamental principle of EU energy policy, requiring energy efficiency to be considered by EU countries in all relevant policy and major investment decisions taken in the energy and non-energy sectors. In November 2025, the Commission sent letters of formal notice to 26 Member States for failing to fully transpose the Directive into national law. To date, Hungary and Romania have still not notified any transposing measures to the Commission. Therefore, the Commission has decided to issue reasoned opinions to Hungary and Romania. Now, they have two months to respond and complete the transposition. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union with requests for financial sanctions.
Commission urges Romania to notify their comprehensive assessments on high-efficiency cogeneration
Today, the European Commission decided to send a reasoned opinion to Romania (INFR(2022)2161) requesting the Member State to comply with the Energy Efficiency Directive (Directive 2012/27/EU), now replaced by the recast Directive (EU) 2023/1791, which maintains certain obligations on the heating and cooling sector. In particular, Member States should develop efficient heating and cooling infrastructure and/or accommodate the development of high-efficiency cogeneration and the use of heating and cooling from waste heat and renewable energy sources. Member States have to carry out and submit to the Commission a comprehensive assessment of the potential for the application of high-efficiency cogeneration and efficient district heating. The comprehensive assessment has to be updated every five years and notified to the Commission. These assessments are key to understand how to make more efficient and to progressively decarbonise the heating and cooling sector, which, in many Member States, is still heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels. In January 2023, the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to Romania. So far, it is the only Member State that has still not communicated an updated assessment by the deadline of 31 December 2020. The Member State now has two months to reply and address the shortcomings identified by the Commission. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to refer Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Commission urges again Cyprus to fully transpose EU rules accelerating permitting procedures for renewable energy projects
Today, the European Commission decided to send an additional reasoned opinion to Cyprus (INFR(2024)0213) for failing to fully transpose into national law the provisions of the revised Renewable Energy Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/2413) related to the simplification and acceleration of permitting procedures. The revised Directive (EU) 2023/2413 amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001 entered into force in November 2023 and certain provisions had to be transposed into national law by the Member States by 1 July 2024. These provisions include measures to simplify and accelerate permitting procedures both for renewable energy projects and the infrastructure projects which are necessary to integrate the additional capacity into the electricity system. They also include clear time limits for permit-granting procedures targeted to specific technologies or types of projects, the strengthening of the role of the single contact point for applications, and the presumption that renewable energy projects and the related grid infrastructure are of overriding public interest. In September 2024, the Commission sent letters of formal notice to 26 Member States for failing to fully transpose the Directive into national law. In February 2025, Cyprus received a reasoned opinion for the complete lack of transposition given the country had not notified any transposition measures. After having examined the transposition measures notified thereafter and the explanations provided by Cyprus in the notified correlation table, the Commission has concluded that the Member State has not yet fully transposed the Directive. Therefore, the Commission has decided to issue an additional reasoned opinion to Cyprus, indicating which specific provisions are not considered transposed. Cyprus has now two months to respond and complete the transposition. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union with a request to impose financial sanctions.
Referrals to the Court of Justice
Commission decides to refer Spain and Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for not transposing agreed rules to strengthen the EU emissions trading system
Today, the European Commission decided to refer Spain (INFR(2024)0051) to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose into national law the EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS) Directive (Directive 2023/959), which had a transposition deadline of 31 December 2023. The Commission also decided to refer Spain (INFR(2024)0050) and Poland (INFR(2024)0114) to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose into national law the Directive 2023/958 regarding the revised EU ETS rules applying to the aviation sector, which had a transposition deadline of 31 December 2023. The revision of the EU ETS Directive strengthens the existing EU ETS rules, extends the ETS to maritime transport, accelerates the reduction of emissions allowances, revises the rules on free allocation, and reinforces the Innovation Fund and the Modernisation Fund, which support the transition to a climate-neutral economy. The revised ETS aviation rules strengthen the aviation sector’s contribution to EU climate objectives and implement the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation. The complete transposition of these Directives ensures the proper functioning of the EU ETS, avoiding distortions in the internal market, and aligns the system with the 2030 EU climate targets set out in the European Climate Law. In January 2024, the Commission sent letters of formal notice to 26 Member States for failing to fully transpose the two Directives into national law. In May 2025, the Commission sent reasoned opinions to 12 Member States for not transposing or only partially transposing these Directives. Spain has not communicated transposition measures for the ETS Directive revision and parts of the revised ETS aviation rules, while Poland has not communicated transposition measures for the revised ETS aviation rules. Therefore, the Commission considers that efforts by the authorities have, to date, been insufficient and is therefore referring Spain and Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union and requesting for financial sanctions. More information is in the press release.
For more information on the EU infringement procedure, see the full press release and Q&A. For more detail on the history of a case, you can consult the infringement decisions’ register.
