The European Court of Auditors argues that the REPowerEU programme's measures reduced European dependence on Russian fossil fuels but contributed little to the development of clean energy. The audit reveals that only three Member States — Hungary, the Netherlands and Portugal — established clear links to all the measures of the REPowerEU chapters in their National Energy and Climate Plans, and that only 35% of the Recovery and Resilience Facility measures included in the REPowerEU chapters are referenced in the final versions of these plans. According to the ECA, significant challenges persist, as Russian oil continued to reach the EU indirectly through third countries and some Member States continue to import considerable quantities of natural gas. The regulation does not include provisions that impose direct sanctions on Member States that do not comply with the ban.
The ECA proposes that the European Commission ensure that measures include clear, result-oriented targets, explicitly linked to clean energy objectives and grid reinforcement, supported by realistic timetables and sufficient funding for follow-up. The Court also recommends that the Community executive define sufficiently clear and quantifiable performance indicators. Of the 300 billion euros available for REPowerEU, by April only 18% of this amount had been made available, totalling 54.3 billion euros.
The European Commission countered that REPowerEU contributes to developing renewable energy projects that would be delayed or not materialised. Since the entry into force of the REPowerEU amending regulation in February 2023, all Member States have integrated dedicated chapters into their Recovery and Resilience Plans, mobilising around 57.6 billion euros. The Community executive argues that the RRF through the REPowerEU chapters has played a pivotal role in accelerating the implementation of the energy programme's priorities and guarantees that it will follow up on the ECA's recommendations.
Regarding gas, Brussels reiterates the legally binding prohibition on the import of Russian liquefied natural gas, which will lead to a complete elimination of imports from Russia on 1 January 2027 and of Russian pipeline gas in September 2027.
