The aim of the European Grids Package is to strengthen Europe’s energy system. Europaforum Northern Sweden supports this ambition but argues that the current proposal risks centralising decision-making in the field of energy policy. Decisions should be taken closer to citizens, and the EU’s role should primarily be one of coordination. The proposal also overlooks a key point: the main challenge is lack of energy, not primarily the need for longer transmission lines.
How Europe builds its future energy system is one of the most important questions for both climate action and competitiveness. In the new proposal from the European Commission focus lies on increasing transmission capacity between member states by constructing larger and longer electricity grids. Europaforum Northern Sweden does not oppose long-distance grids, but stresses that they will not solve the underlying problem.
“You do not automatically get enough energy just because long-distance cables exist. The real issue is the shortage of energy itself”, says Anders Öberg, Regional Councillor in Norrbotten and rapporteur within Europaforum Northern Sweden.
Instead, the focus needs to be on increasing production, strengthening storage, and improving flexibility in the systems we already have.
Regional competitiveness strengthens Europe as a whole
Europaforum Northern Sweden agrees that stronger cooperation is important but emphasises that it should not result in decisions being moved further away from the regions concerned. This is a matter of democratic legitimacy as well as effective decision-making.
“We believe in the principle of subsidiarity. Local and regional solutions — close to production, storage, and demand-side response — are more cost-effective and should be prioritised over long-distance expansion,” says Anders Öberg.
Northern Sweden clearly demonstrates how long-term investments in renewable energy can create both competitiveness and energy security. Low and stable electricity prices have been crucial for industrial development and the green transition, and they benefit the EU as a whole.
European competitiveness is built on strong regions. These conditions should be safeguarded, not weakened through centralisation and uniform approaches.
A common direction without micromanagement
The EU plays an important role in coordinating energy policy and setting shared goals, but coordination must not turn into micromanagement. More efficient processes must go hand in hand with maintaining regional influence, Europaforum Northern Sweden argues.
“We believe that national, regional, and local levels must continue to have influence over energy-related decisions,” says Johan Loock, regional politician in Jämtland Härjedalen and rapporteur within Europaforum Northern Sweden, and continues:
“Streamlining processes must not come at the expense of regions’ and citizens’ opportunities for influence and scrutiny. The subsidiarity principle should be applied as a first step, ensuring that energy is produced, stored, and used locally and regionally.”
Find the full position here: Europaforum Northern Sweden’s views on the European Grids Package.