The debate over the EU renewable energy target 2040 is intensifying as 15 Member States urge the European Commission to replace binding renewable energy goals with a broader clean energy objective under the future RED IV framework. Italy is among the signatories backing the proposal.
The evolution of EU renewable energy targets
In practical terms, the proposal calls for abandoning another binding renewable energy target in favour of a broader commitment to what is simply described as clean energy, leaving each national government with greater discretion over how that objective is achieved.
This would represent a significant departure from the European Union’s long-standing approach.
From the 20-20-20 Climate and Energy Package under RED I, through the Clean Energy for All Europeans Package under RED II, and finally the Fit for 55 package with RED III, the EU has consistently relied on binding renewable energy targets to drive the energy transition.
The journey began with a 20% renewable energy target in gross final energy consumption by 2020, supported by nationally binding contributions, including 17% for Italy. The target was later raised to 32% for 2030, before being strengthened to 42.5% under the revised Renewable Energy Directive.
Moving away from this framework could mark a significant setback for the EU’s decarbonisation strategy.
Five options under consideration for the EU renewable energy target 2040
The European Commission is already assessing whether the post-2030 framework should replace the established renewable energy target with a broader clean energy target for 2040. As part of the public consultation launched this spring, Brussels presented stakeholders and citizens with five possible policy options:
- Continue with the current system of binding EU-level targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency, supported by national contributions based on established formulas.
- Maintain binding EU renewable energy targets while introducing greater flexibility to reflect the specific circumstances of individual Member States.
- Establish a single EU-wide clean energy target, accompanied by minimum thresholds for key energy indicators such as renewable energy.
- Establish a single EU-wide electrification target, complemented by minimum thresholds for key indicators including renewable energy and energy efficiency.
- Combine one of the previous four options with a set of monitoring KPIs covering key elements of the energy system, such as electrification and waste heat recovery, while ensuring transparency and comparability across Member States.
The consultation shows that the Commission is already trying to strike a balance between competing interests and the political pressure that Member States have begun to exert ahead of the legislative proposal.
The Nuclear Alliance calls for greater flexibility
However, the proposal put forward by the Nuclear Alliance, at least as outlined in its letter to the Commission, would significantly weaken the prominence of renewable energy within the EU framework.
The ministers wrote:
“While it was legitimate during the previous decade to focus exclusively on the emergence and deployment of renewable energy by setting quantified targets, it is now essential to chart the path towards the progressive replacement of fossil fuels and promote the use of all low-carbon energy sources. Furthermore, lessons learned from the 2030 framework should be taken into account. European instruments should contribute to an efficient energy transition by allowing each Member State to pursue the most cost-effective decarbonisation pathway. This approach is more efficient than maintaining numerous sub-targets implemented differently across Member States or lacking overall coherence.”
Yet these are the very targets that enabled the European Union to generate 48% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2025, while saving billions of euros in fossil fuel imports, demonstrating the effectiveness of binding renewable energy objectives in accelerating the bloc’s energy transition.
