Skip to main content
European Commission logo
enen
Energy, Climate change, Environment
Climate Action

Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action

To help the EU reach its 2030 climate and energy targets, the Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action sets common rules for planning, reporting and monitoring. It also outlines the monitoring mechanism to ensure the EU’s compliance with international commitments under the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC. 

Integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs)

Under the Governance Regulation, EU Member States are required to develop ten-year integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). These plans detail how each count intends to achieve its energy and climate objectives, targets and contributions over the relevant period.   

Member States must submit draft NECPs, which the European Commission reviews at both the EU and national levels. Based on the Commission’s recommendations, Member States are required to update their draft plans. For more information, please consult our dedicated web page on NECPs for the 2021 – 2030 period.  

NECPs as a governance tool will be revised for the post-2030 period as part of the upcoming revision of the Governance Regulation.  

National long-term strategies

Member States are also required to develop national long-term strategies and ensure consistency between these strategies and their national energy and climate plans. 

Climate reporting

The Governance Regulation establishes procedures to help track progress of compliance with the obligations on the levels of greenhouse gas emissions and removals established in EU legislation, such as the Effort Sharing Regulation and the LULUCF Regulation. 

It also lays down a monitoring mechanism for greenhouse gas emissions and other climate information as regards adaptation to climate change and support to developing countries, so that the EU will be able to comply with its reporting obligations under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement.  

Moreover, the regulation streamlines other important climate reporting required under EU legislation, such as reporting on the Member State use of ETS auctioning revenues. 

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1208 sets the templates and establishes the procedure for the reporting obligations that Member States have under the Governance Regulation. The templates were amended in 2024 to reflect the legislative changes introduced by the “Fit for 55” package. 

Integrated national energy and climate progress reporting

The Commission monitors the progress of the EU as a whole, in particular as part of the annual State of the Energy Union report. 

Member States report on the progress made in implementing their energy and climate policies, including their national energy and climate plans, every two years. They reported for the first time in March 2023. 

Evaluation of the Governance Regulation

In 2024, the Commission published a report on the functioning of the Governance Regulation. The evaluation report, required under Article 45 of the Regulation, is underpinned by the Commission Staff Working Document evaluation. 

The evaluation assesses the implementation of the Regulation in light of the five evaluation criteria: 

  • effectiveness
  • efficiency
  • coherence
  • relevance
  • EU added value. 

It also provides insights that will feed into the Regulation’s ongoing implementation and any possible future revision. 

Documentation

Click on the + signs for more information.