EU Member States Lag On RE Permitting Reforms

European Union (EU) member countries have transposed less than 50% of the key renewable energy permitting reforms into national laws, according to a new report by SolarPower Europe (SPE), which assesses the progress across 20 Member States on 8 permitting and planning measures.

Project permitting remains a big challenge for the EU’s solar industry, which, according to the SPE, prevents the sector from reaching its full potential. In some countries, permitting for solar projects can exceed 2 years and even stretch up to 4 years. 

It points out that these are double the maximum duration allowed under the European Commission’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) framework, established in September 2023 (see EU Adopts New Renewable Energy Directive).

The SPE report titled EU Renewable Energy Permitting: State of Play looks at the progress of the 8 key permitting provisions under the RED framework and their transposition into national laws. Its assessment shows that the transposition of the legislation remains incomplete and that concrete progress is limited. It also varies across EU Member States.

Italy, Romania, and Slovenia lead with 78% of key renewable permitting measures transposed into law, according to the report. In contrast, Latvia lags with the lowest transposition rate at 13%, followed by France, Croatia, the Netherlands, and Slovakia at 22%. However, high transposition rates don’t always ensure effective on-the-ground implementation.

“Instead of simplifying permitting processes, many governments have created new layers of complexity, and legal uncertainty,” says SPE. “Reforms are often poorly enforced, overinterpreted, or remain theoretical – resulting in limited impact on the ground. Meanwhile, the 2022 emergency regulation expired on 30 June 2025, risking legal uncertainty in countries where RED III has not been fully transposed."  

The key findings of the report are:

• Permitting timelines remain slow, risking non-compliance with RED III deadlines.

• Acceleration areas have created confusion, adding complexity and even resulting in no-go zones in some countries.

• Simplified permitting for solar on artificial surfaces is often neglected, missing key energy opportunities.

• The overriding public interest principle is not being applied in practice for solar PV projects.

Analysts argue that streamlining the permitting procedures is crucial to the successful deployment of renewable energy across Europe and for the bloc to transition to clean energy. This requires collaboration and coordination at both the EU and national levels.

The SPE report puts forward a number of recommendations for the European Commission to ensure this. They are:

• Prioritize the implementation of existing EU rules rather than pursuing deregulation. 

• Support Member States in the timely implementation of RED III permitting provisions.

• Help countries to introduce RES targets at the regional level. 

• Assist them in harmonizing measures to fast-track permitting processes. 

• Facilitate knowledge-sharing and best practice exchange among Member States. 

• Support the development of clear, publicly accessible guidelines for Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI). 

• Provide dedicated funding and training to regional and local authorities involved in permitting. 

• Promote simplified and harmonized permitting procedures for innovative solar technologies. 

• Provide simplified and harmonized permitting processes for hybrid RES projects. 

“The EU’s permitting rules are fit for purpose. What’s needed is clear guidance on implementing Renewable Acceleration Areas and the Overriding Public Interest principle, along with targeted funding to boost capacity and training for local permitting authorities,” said SPE’s Policy Advisor for Sustainability, Lina Dubina. 

The report can be downloaded for free on SPE’s website.