Belgium, backed by France, Italy, Poland and several other EU member states, wants the European Commission to review implementation of the bloc's latest Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) to support greater uptake of low-carbon hydrogen.
RED III obliges EU member states to ensure that renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) make up at least 42pc of the hydrogen used in industry by 2030, and 60pc by 2035.
"Current application of RED III, with its highly ambitious targets, is difficult to achieve for member states with limited renewable resources," said Belgian economy minister Laurent Hublet. "Importing green hydrogen is not yet economically viable — not only in Belgium, but throughout Europe," Hublet added.
In Belgium's non-paper — also supported by the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia — the government argues that low-carbon hydrogen should also count towards these obligations, not only RFNBOs. It says blue hydrogen, produced from natural gas with carbon capture and utilisation or storage (CCUS), can be made domestically in a more cost-effective and technologically mature way while still "significantly" reducing emissions.
Without adjustments, Belgium said, the current interpretation of the RFNBO share under RED III could lead to "significant delays or cancellation" of projects based on steam-methane reforming and autothermal reforming with CCUS.
Other member states backed Belgium's approach. "We fully agree with Belgium on the need for a pragmatic strategy regarding low-emission hydrogen under RED III," said Italian enterprise minister Adolfo Urso, calling for a gradual transition to decarbonising Europe's energy-intensive industries while preserving competitiveness and supporting the hydrogen value chain.
France took a similar line. "Hydrogen targets cannot solely be based around renewable hydrogen. Doing so penalises — or even blocks — many projects at a time when the sector is entering a critical phase," said French deputy industry minister Sebastien Martin.
The European Commission struck a balancing tone. "The challenge now is to strike the right balance between climate ambition, industrial feasibility and supply security," said EU industry commissioner Stephane Sejourne. "We have shifted from a green to a clean [deal], and you can count on me to apply this principle of technological neutrality to all upcoming legislation," he added.
Sejourne is expected to present delayed proposals on low-carbon and made-in-Europe public procurement and state support rules on 4 March, including measures for green steel and green technologies such as electrolysers.
The commission has committed, in its 2026 work programme, to reviewing the Renewable Energy Directive in the third quarter of this year.
