European Grids Package and Energy Highways – An overview of the European Commission's proposals and their potential

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In December 2025, the European Commission presented the European Grids Package and the so-called Energy Highways initiative, that has been previously announced by President von der Leyen.

The European Grids Package mainly contains several proposed amendments to existing European regulations that have been adopted under the name Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E), providing the legal framework for cross-border energy infrastructure. The aim of this package is to strengthen the infrastructure, as approximately half of cross-border electricity transmission capacity needs by 2030 (66 gigawatt) are currently not addressed (32 gigawatt of 66 gigawatt) and demand for electricity is expected to increase even further in the next years, according to the text of the proposal.

The Commission’s proposals and plans can be structured into three key areas: (1) strengthening EU-wide cross-border infrastructure planning, (2) accelerating infrastructure development, with special focus on accelerating permitting, and (3) eight priority projects (the “Energy Highways” initiative).

Source: European Commission