Only four out of 27 EU states submitted their final national energy and climate plans (NECPs) by the end of June, as required by law — the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Sweden — according to the European Commission.
"We need a critical mass of plans to come in before we can look at the cumulative contribution [towards the 2030 energy and climate targets]," commission energy and climate spokesperson Tim McPhie said.
"I'm not going to get into sliding scales of whether we're more or less worried. We only have four [NECPs] and we're urging the member states that haven't submitted them to do so as soon as."
The commission in December assessed draft NECPs as only leading to a cut of 51pc in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. And the plans would lead to a renewable energy share in the energy mix of just 38.6-39.3pc by 2030, short of a binding target of 42.5pc.
The commission will raise the lack of energy and climate plans as a "matter of urgency" with energy and climate ministers at informal meetings later this month. And Austria, which has not even submitted a draft NECP, is facing a commission infringement procedure.
