Roadmap on the revision of the Communication on Important Projects of Common European Interest

ClientEarth argues that the revised IPCEI Communication must align with the European Green Deal by mainstreaming climate protection and excluding fossil fuel projects. The organization recommends that eligibility for aid be contingent on strict environmental compliance, the 'Energy Efficiency First' principle, and the production of hydrogen exclusively from 100% renewable sources. Additionally, ClientEarth calls for increased transparency in the State aid process, including the publication of pre-notification files and the implementation of competitive tenders to select beneficiaries.

• ClientEarth recommends that the IPCEI Communication be explicitly aligned with the European Green Deal and EU Treaty provisions, such as Article 11 TFEU and Article 3(3) TEU, to ensure State aid supports sustainable development and environmental protection.
• The organization argues that projects should only be eligible for IPCEI aid if they comply with environmental laws, adhere to the 'Energy Efficiency First' principle, and demonstrate net environmental spillover effects.
• ClientEarth calls for the total exclusion of fossil fuel projects from the IPCEI scope, stating that such support creates a high lock-in risk and contradicts the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
• Regarding hydrogen, ClientEarth urges the Commission to exclude aid for 'low-carbon' hydrogen (produced from fossil fuels with CCS) and only support hydrogen produced from 100% renewable energy sources to avoid greenwashing.
• The document suggests that the 'importance' of a project should be expanded beyond quantitative metrics (size and risk) to include its contribution to fighting climate change and preventing pollution.

APA

ClientEarth (2020). Roadmap on the revision of the Communication on Important Projects of Common European Interest. https://www.clientearth.org/media/x5olvn3p/revision-of-ipcei-communication_clientearth-21-12-2020.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Roadmap on the revision of the Communication on Important Projects of Common European Interest. 2020. https://www.clientearth.org/media/x5olvn3p/revision-of-ipcei-communication_clientearth-21-12-2020.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=Roadmap on the revision of the Communication on Important Projects of Common European Interest |date=December 2020 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/x5olvn3p/revision-of-ipcei-communication_clientearth-21-12-2020.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2020roadmap, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Roadmap on the revision of the Communication on Important Projects of Common European Interest}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/x5olvn3p/revision-of-ipcei-communication_clientearth-21-12-2020.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }