The REPowerEU Plan: the European Union's Energy Policy Revolution in the Age of Crises
Abstract
Since 2008, Europe has been experiencing a series of crises, including the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war. The year 2022 presented particularly difficult challenges for the European Union, as it had to face yet another crisis following the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result of the war, energy prices soared, while the EU was working on implementing the Green Deal. The goal of this document was to radically transform the energy sector and prioritize sustainable energy sources, but the war highlighted that economic and energy security concerns had become more urgent. The REPowerEU plan responds to the crisis caused by the war, focusing on reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels while trying to maintain the EU's economic competitiveness. However, due to the contradictions within the plan and the relatively mild targets set by the resulting legal acts, it is insufficient to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, and more significant changes are still needed in energy policy. In the future, the EU must find a balance between sustainability and energy security in its energy policy, while also taking into account the differing situations of its member states.
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