Brussels, 28 May 2025, for immediate release. In its today’s assessment, the European Commission claims that the updated National Climate and Energy Plans (NECPs) collectively put the EU on course to achieve a 54% emissions reduction by 2030. However, civil society organisations have identified significant flaws in those plans and concerns remain about the credibility of full implementation.
“The EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets are clearly achievable, but without effective national policies and credible financing—both of which are largely lacking in the updated plans—implementation will fall short,” said CAN Europe’s climate policy expert, Giulia Nardi.
Civil society’s preliminary analysis of these national climate and energy plans shows that major shortcomings remain, many lack the necessary ambition and policies to deliver the emissions reductions required, in particular in the field of energy efficiency where the gap is significant.
It is particularly important to stay on track as the EU is about to define its 2040 climate target that should be achieved domestically and provide long-term direction for Member States’ strategies.
NGOs from France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Malta have called on the European Commission to launch legal action against their governments, arguing that the shortcomings in their climate plans are not merely policy failures, but breaches of EU law. States have a legal obligation to deliver climate action, and the Commission has a clear responsibility to uphold and enforce EU law in response.
The EU Commission also pointed out that countries need to provide more detailed financing plans. In the absence of those, a significant “financing gap” remains: without a credible financing strategy, even well-designed plans risk remaining on paper.
CAN Europe previously analysed the compulsory citizens’ involvement in the NECP process, which proved to be particularly weak – with either an opaque or flawed process. This is a missed opportunity to strengthen plans through inclusive dialogue and social involvement.
“National climate plans are only as strong as the processes implementing them,” added Giulia Nardi. “By sidelining public participation and failing to establish clear accountability mechanisms, governments are weakening the foundation of their climate commitments.”
In the meantime, EU governments have one more month to draft another important set of plans: their first Social Climate Plans, meant to explain how countries intend to spend their share of the new Social Climate Fund on climate action. Due date, June 30.
Notes to editor
EU Member States were required to submit updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to the European Commission by 30 June 2024. These updates are essential for adjusting national strategies to reflect recent developments in EU climate and energy legislation (the so-called Fit for 55 legislative package) and to close the gap between current policies and the EU’s 2030 climate targets. Last December, the European Commission analysed the updated draft plans, and stressed the need “for more robust measures and implementation in the final NECPs to stay on track towards 2030”.
As of today and almost one year after the official deadline, three countries still haven’t submitted their national climate plans, Belgium, Estonia and Poland.
National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are binding strategies that every EU country must submit to outline how they will meet the EU’s climate and energy targets by 2030. These plans detail national emissions reduction goals, renewable energy deployment, energy efficiency measures, and how these will be financed and governed. NECPs are central to translating EU-level commitments—like the European Green Deal—into concrete national actions.
Press contact: cristina.dascalu@caneurope.org
