Energy-intensive industries (EIIs) underpin Europe’s critical and strategic value chains, supplying the materials and products essential to the energy and digital transitions, housing, defence, and the EU’s strategic autonomy.
As these industries accelerate their decarbonisation efforts, access to globally competitive and reliable clean electricity is a fundamental prerequisite for maintaining industrial activity, investment and jobs in Europe.
Yet this objective is increasingly challenged by the rapid rise in network tariffs across the European Union, with many Member States already experiencing significant increases in network charges. This trend is expected to intensify as Europe accelerates its transition to a decarbonised economy. Even under the most optimistic scenarios, an estimated
€1.2 trillion will need to be invested in grid modernisation and expansion by 2040.
