European Union REPowerEU energy plan faces criticism from auditors

REPowerEU energy transition European Court of Auditors Russian gas imports renewable energy

The European Court of Auditors has issued a report criticizing the REPowerEU plan, stating that the initiative to reduce the European Union's dependence on Russian fossil fuels has stalled four years after its launch.

While EU imports of Russian natural gas fell significantly from 152 billion cubic meters in 2021 to 36 billion cubic meters last year, auditors note this decline was largely driven by mild winters and high energy prices rather than the REPowerEU program itself. The report highlights that member states have allocated only 54.3 billion euros of the 300 billion euros available through the recovery fund for these purposes.

Furthermore, the auditors described the contribution of the program toward the goal of adding 103 gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2030 as negligible. The report also identifies critical deficiencies in governance, a lack of effective coordination across member states, and insufficient investment in cross-border energy infrastructure and grid connections. These shortcomings leave the EU vulnerable to future energy market shocks as it prepares for upcoming bans on Russian liquefied natural gas imports scheduled for 2027.

Entities

European Court of Auditors · European Union · Mihails Kozlovs · REPowerEU · Russia · Ursula von der Leyen

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 6 SOURCES] Member states have allocated only 54.3 billion euros of the 300 billion euros available through the recovery fund. dunav.at · i-magazin.com · sputniknews.cn · bnews.bg · www.eunews.it · +1 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] EU imports of Russian natural gas decreased from 152 billion cubic meters in 2021 to 36 billion cubic meters last year. dunav.at
[● 3 SOURCES] There is a lack of capacity and cross-border connections to allow efficient energy transfer between member states. dunav.at · i-magazin.com · www.eunews.it
[● 4 SOURCES] The REPowerEU program's contribution to the goal of adding 103 gigawatts of renewable capacity is considered negligible. dunav.at · sputniknews.cn · bnews.bg · www.eunews.it
[● 6 SOURCES] The REPowerEU plan is at a standstill four years after its launch. dunav.at · i-magazin.com · sputniknews.cn · www.eunews.it · bnews.bg · +1 more
[● 2 SOURCES] The REPowerEU plan lacks effective governance tools to coordinate progress across member states. i-magazin.com · www.eunews.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] A ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. dunav.at