Overview
This report provides a comprehensive summary of parliamentary questions (PQs) and Commission answers published during the timeframe of 12.07.2026 till 19.07.2026 (Monday → Sunday). A total of 19 PQs are covered in this briefing, of which 10 have been answered by the European Commission and 9 remain pending. The key themes dominating this reporting window include the deployment and regulation of wind, solar, and biofuels, the expansion and siting of energy infrastructure and grids, financing mechanisms for the energy transition, the impact of EU governance and carbon pricing on consumers, as well as industrial competitiveness, supply chains, and external energy security.
❗ EIA Obligations for Windfarms
In P-002344/2026, a question for which the submitting MEP and date are not provided in the source document, the core issue addressed is whether windfarm projects mandate an automatic Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). In a response on 14 July 2026, Commissioner Roswall clarified that while windfarms fall under the EIA Directive, there is no automatic obligation; Member States must determine the need for an assessment based on selection criteria such as location and cumulative effects, and national authorities are primarily responsible for ensuring compliance with EU law.
❗ Biogas Plant Development and Natura 2000 Protections
In E-002051/2026, a question for which the submitting MEP and date are not detailed in the source document, the focus is on the construction of a biogas plant in A Laracha, Galicia, and its potential impact on the Natura 2000 SAC Río Anllóns. In a response on 16 July 2026, Commissioner Roswall stated that the Commission has limited information on the specific project but reminded that the Spanish authorities must ensure compliance with the Habitats Directive, noting that national means of redress remain the most effective avenue for individual cases of alleged non-compliance.
❓ Biofuel Blending and Engine Damage in Inland Shipping
Submitted on 1 July 2026 by Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR), E-002738/2026 enquires whether the Commission has information indicating that inland navigation fuels blended with biological components under the Fuel Quality Directive and RED III cause structural engine damage, and whether the Commission plans to standardise such fuels as is done for road transport. A response from the Commission is pending.
❗ Transposition of Renewable Directives and Natura 2000
In E-001878/2026, a question for which the submitting MEP and date are not provided in the available document, the core enquiry concerns the compatibility of national legislative changes with the Habitats Directive and the Aarhus Convention during the transposition of RED III and gas market directives. In a response on 16 July 2026, Commissioner Roswall noted that the national bill in question has not yet been adopted, but underlined that any legislative changes must not contradict the Habitats Directive’s requirement for appropriate assessments when a Natura 2000 site is significantly impacted.
❓ Siting Standards for Large-Scale Energy Storage
Submitted on 9 July 2026 by Arkadiusz Mularczyk (ECR), E-002855/2026 asks whether the Commission’s policy of accelerating permits for large-scale energy storage facilities without establishing minimum EU standards for their distance from residential areas aligns with the precautionary principle under Article 191(2) TFEU. A response from the Commission is pending.
❓ Sustainability Ratings for Data Centres
Submitted on 3 July 2026 by Nicolás González Casares (S&D), E-002781/2026 questions the ongoing revision of the delegated act on the sustainability rating of data centres, asking if the Commission will ensure criteria that require additional, locally produced renewable energy rather than emission offsets, to safeguard energy security and climate goals. A response from the Commission is pending.
❓ AFIR Implementation and EV Charging Prices
Submitted on 7 July 2026 by Elena Kountoura (The Left), E-002810/2026 highlights excessively high and non-transparent public charging rates for electric vehicles, asking what measures the Commission will take to address this and whether it intends to revise the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) to mandate the display of total charging prices before charging begins. A response from the Commission is pending.
❗ Public Participation in Energy Infrastructure Projects
In E-002209/2026, a question lacking specific MEP submission details in the source document, the core issue is the enforcement of public participation and local authority opinions in Greek renewable energy projects under the Aarhus Convention and EIA Directive. In a response on 17 July 2026, Commissioner Roswall clarified that while Greece must ensure effective public participation, the Aarhus Convention does not require decisions to be based solely on negative local opinions, further noting that the European Grids Package proposed in December 2025 includes new public participation requirements regarding benefit-sharing.
❓ Electricity Market Design Review Report
Submitted on 2 July 2026 by Nicolás González Casares (S&D), E-002757/2026 asks when the Commission intends to publish the delayed review report on Regulation (EU) 2024/1747 regarding the EU electricity market design, and whether the review will fully address crisis remedies, distribution networks, and power purchase agreements (PPAs). A response from the Commission is pending.
❗ Greek Decarbonisation Fund and Hydropower Investments
In E-002198/2026, a question without stated MEP submission details in the source document, the focus is on the financing of dam infrastructure and the decarbonisation of Greek islands through the ETS Greek Decarbonisation Fund. In a response on 14 July 2026, Commissioner Hoekstra explained that the project is currently undergoing assessment by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and specific details cannot be shared yet, but noted that other EU funds, such as the Recovery and Resilience Facility, have already successfully supported pumped-storage hydropower plants in Greece.
❓ Revisions to the Greek Recovery and Resilience Plan
Submitted on 24 June 2026 by Sakis Arnaoutoglou (S&D), E-002601/2026 questions the continuous revisions to the ‘Greece 2.0’ National Recovery and Resilience Plan, asking if the Commission has assessed whether the modification or withdrawal of key projects—including water infrastructure, energy storage, and just transition areas—affects the achievement of the plan’s original strategic objectives. A response from the Commission is pending.
❗ EPBD Exemptions and Social Climate Fund in Poland
In E-002277/2026, a question lacking the submitting MEP’s details in the source text, the core topic is the impact of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and ETS2 on households living in protected historic buildings in Poland. In a response on 14 July 2026, Commissioner Hoekstra highlighted that Member States can exempt protected non-residential buildings from minimum energy performance requirements and emphasised that the Social Climate Fund offers Poland an opportunity to finance renovations and heating replacements for vulnerable households.
❗ CO2 Standards for Vehicles and Biofuel Capping
In E-002077/2026, a question without specified MEP submission details in the source, the enquiry addresses the role of renewable fuels within the proposed amendment to Regulation (EU) 2019/631 on CO2 emission standards for vehicles. In a response on 14 July 2026, Commissioner Hoekstra affirmed that while the proposal maintains a strong market signal for zero-emission vehicles, the contribution of renewable fuels is strictly capped to advanced biofuels and RFNBOs to avoid sustainability and food-competition concerns, aligning with the Renewable Energy Directive.
❗ Energy Taxation and VAT on Fossil Fuels in Greece
In P-001791/2026, a question for which the MEP and submission date are not provided in the source document, the focus is on high consumer fuel prices in Greece and the potential for tax rebates. In a response on 13 July 2026, Commissioner Hoekstra clarified that while the Energy Taxation Directive sets minimum tax levels, the VAT Directive does not allow Member States to apply reduced rates for fossil fuels, adding that lowering prices with tax rebates is economically inefficient and risks exacerbating dependence on fossil fuel imports.
❓ Air Conditioning Availability and EU ETS Costs
Submitted on 7 July 2026 by Stanisław Tyszka (ESN), E-002807/2026 asks whether the Commission has assessed the extent to which EU ETS carbon pricing costs limit households’ access to life-saving air conditioning during heatwaves, and whether this impact will be included in the upcoming 2026 EU ETS review. A response from the Commission is pending.
❗ CBAM Downstream Goods and Steel/Aluminium Protection
In E-001826/2026, a question lacking the submitting MEP’s details in the source document, the core issue is the protection of the EU steel and aluminium industries against carbon leakage and unfairly traded imports. In a response on 14 July 2026, Commissioner Hoekstra outlined that the proposed extension of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to selected downstream goods is based on clear carbon leakage risks, and noted that the Temporary Decarbonisation Fund will support EU ETS installations producing CBAM goods for the 2026 and 2027 production years.
❓ Definition of Low-Carbon Steel Across EU Legislation
Submitted on 8 July 2026 by Jessica Polfjärd (PPE), E-002839/2026 questions the lack of a clear definition for ‘low-carbon steel’ in both the Industrial Accelerator Act and the revised CO2 standards for cars and vans, asking how the Commission will ensure a single, coordinated definition to avoid regulatory fragmentation. A response from the Commission is pending.
❗ Competitiveness Compass and the Industrial Accelerator Act
In E-002228/2026, a question whose MEP submission details are not provided in the source text, the enquiry focuses on strengthening the European industrial base and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels amidst global instability. In a response on 16 July 2026, Executive Vice-President Séjourné highlighted the Competitiveness Compass strategy and noted that the upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act, expected by the end of 2026, will drive faster industrial permitting and create lead markets for low-carbon, made-in-EU products.
❓ Strategic Status of the Ferro-Alloy and Silicon Metal Industry
Submitted on 24 June 2026 by Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (PPE), E-002593/2026 highlights the deteriorating situation of the European ferro-alloy and silicon metal industry due to cheap imports from China and Angola, asking if the Commission has analysed the substitution of silicon metal for ferro-silicon and how it intends to protect silicon metal as a strategic raw material. A response from the Commission is pending.
