IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jadmsc/v11y2021i3p75-d599842.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Green Deal, National Energy and Climate Plans in Europe: Member States’ Compliance and Strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Georgios Maris

    (Department of the Mediterranean Studies, University of the Aegean, 85132 Rhodes, Greece)

  • Floros Flouros

    (Department of the Mediterranean Studies, University of the Aegean, 85132 Rhodes, Greece
    Department of History, Politics and International Studies, Neapolis University, 8042 Pafos, Cyprus)

Abstract

This paper analyses the EU’s policies for energy and climate, using Börzel’s theoretical framework on Europeanisation, and examines Member States’ Green Deal responses, strategies, and compliance. As expressed in their final NECPs, although Member States’ responses vary, most of the critical components were partially addressed, while the others were largely addressed. We observe a considerable variation in Member States’ strategies. Member States classified as foot-dragging beforehand are fence-sitting now, while those previously categorised as fence-sitting are now either foot-dragging or pace-setting. The root cause of these classification changes for the Member States within the EU can be traced back to their internal environments in which the involved stakeholders each have a different response pace regarding environment, climate, and energy. We present and analyse our theoretical context, discuss the EU’s energy policies and the NECPs, examine Member States’ responses and compliance with this new framework, and propose several challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Georgios Maris & Floros Flouros, 2021. "The Green Deal, National Energy and Climate Plans in Europe: Member States’ Compliance and Strategies," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:11:y:2021:i:3:p:75-:d:599842
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/11/3/75/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/11/3/75/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pointvogl, Andreas, 2009. "Perceptions, realities, concession--What is driving the integration of European energy policies?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 5704-5716, December.
    2. Louise Van Schaik & Simon Schunz, 2012. "Explaining EU Activism and Impact in Global Climate Politics: Is the Union a Norm‐ or Interest‐Driven Actor?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 169-186, January.
    3. Radaelli, Claudio M., 2004. "Europeanisation: Solution or problem?," European Integration online Papers (EIoP), European Community Studies Association Austria (ECSA-A), vol. 8, October.
    4. Maltby, Tomas, 2013. "European Union energy policy integration: A case of European Commission policy entrepreneurship and increasing supranationalism," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 435-444.
    5. Ivo Maes & Amy Verdun, 2005. "Small States and the Creation of EMU: Belgium and the Netherlands, Pace‐setters and Gate‐keepers," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 327-348, June.
    6. Kacper Szulecki & Kirsten Westphal, 2014. "The Cardinal Sins of European Energy Policy: Nongovernance in an Uncertain Global Landscape," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 5, pages 38-51, October.
    7. Garri Raagmaa & Tarmo Kalvet & Ragne Kasesalu, 2014. "Europeanization and De-Europeanization of Estonian Regional Policy," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 775-795, April.
    8. Johan P. Olsen, 2002. "The Many Faces of Europeanization," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(5), pages 921-952, December.
    9. Richard S.J. Tol, 2018. "Energy and Climate," Working Paper Series 1618, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    10. Paul Tobin, 2017. "Leaders and Laggards: Climate Policy Ambition in Developed States," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 17(4), pages 28-47, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chiara Certomà & Filippo Corsini & Marina Di Giacomo & Marco Guerrazzi, 2023. "Beyond Income and Inequality: The Role of Socio-political Factors for Alleviating Energy Poverty in Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 167-208, September.
    2. Stephan Kigle & Michael Ebner & Andrej Guminski, 2022. "Greenhouse Gas Abatement in EUROPE—A Scenario-Based, Bottom-Up Analysis Showing the Effect of Deep Emission Mitigation on the European Energy System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Di Foggia, Giacomo & Beccarello, Massimo, 2024. "European roadmaps to achieving 2030 renewable energy targets," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Mohammed Al-Breiki & Yusuf Bicer, 2022. "Potential Solutions for the Short to Medium-Term Natural Gas Shortage Issues of Europe: What Can Qatar Do?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Chuimin Kong & Jijian Zhang & Albert Henry Ntarmah & Yusheng Kong & Hong Zhao, 2022. "Carbon Neutrality in the Middle East and North Africa: The Roles of Renewable Energy, Economic Growth, and Government Effectiveness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-24, August.
    6. Paulus, N., 2024. "Developing individual carbon footprint reduction pathways from carbon budgets: Examples with Wallonia and France," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    7. Hugo Algarvio & Vivian Sousa, 2025. "Strategies to Incentivize the Participation of Variable Renewable Energy Generators in Balancing Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-23, May.
    8. Giovanni Ottomano Palmisano & Lucia Rocchi & Lorenzo Negri & Lea Piscitelli, 2025. "Evaluating the Progress of the EU Countries Towards Implementation of the European Green Deal: A Multiple Criteria Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-29, January.
    9. Francesco Calise & Francesco Liberato Cappiello & Luca Cimmino & Marialuisa Napolitano & Maria Vicidomini, 2023. "Dynamic Simulation and Thermoeconomic Analysis of a Novel Hybrid Solar System for Biomethane Production by the Organic Fraction of Municipal Wastes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-23, March.
    10. Kamila Słupińska & Marek Wieruszewski & Piotr Szczypa & Anna Kożuch & Krzysztof Adamowicz, 2022. "Public Perception of the Use of Woody Biomass for Energy Purposes in the Evaluation of Content and Information Management on the Internet," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-11, September.
    11. Varvara S. Orfanidou & Dimitrios J. Dimitriou & Nikolaos P. Rachaniotis & Giannis T. Tsoulfas, 2024. "Critical Factors for Green Public Procurement: The Case of Greece," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-19, December.
    12. Mehmet Efe Biresselioglu & Siyami Alp Limoncuoglu & Muhittin Hakan Demir & Johannes Reichl & Katrin Burgstaller & Alessandro Sciullo & Edoardo Ferrero, 2021. "Legal Provisions and Market Conditions for Energy Communities in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey: A Comparative Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-25, October.
    13. Vivian Sousa & Hugo Algarvio, 2025. "Strategic Bidding to Increase the Market Value of Variable Renewable Generators in Electricity Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-22, March.
    14. Karolina Godzisz & Maciej Dzikuć & Piotr Kułyk & Arkadiusz Piwowar & Piotr Kuryło & Szymon Szufa, 2021. "Selected Determinants of Sustainable Transport in the Context of the Development of a Low-Carbon Economy in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-14, August.
    15. Marek Wieruszewski & Aleksandra Górna & Zygmunt Stanula & Krzysztof Adamowicz, 2022. "Energy Use of Woody Biomass in Poland: Its Resources and Harvesting Form," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-21, September.
    16. Ilaria Perissi & Aled Jones, 2022. "Investigating European Union Decarbonization Strategies: Evaluating the Pathway to Carbon Neutrality by 2050," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    17. Agnieszka Izabela Baruk & Anna Goliszek, 2022. "The Associations of Young Poles with Green Energy in the Context of Self-Assessment of Their Relevant Knowledge and the Importance Attached to the Energy Sources Used," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-18, September.
    18. Daniel Wacinkiewicz & Szymon Słotwiński, 2023. "The Statutory Model of Energy Performance Contracting as a Means of Improving Energy Efficiency in Public Sector Units as Seen in the Example of Polish Legal Policies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-15, June.
    19. Donglan Liu & Xin Liu & Kun Guo & Qiang Ji & Yingxian Chang, 2023. "Spillover Effects among Electricity Prices, Traditional Energy Prices and Carbon Market under Climate Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-18, January.
    20. Beatriz Aibar‐Guzmán & Nicola Raimo & Filippo Vitolla & Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, 2024. "Corporate governance and financial performance: Reframing their relationship in the context of climate change," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1493-1509, May.
    21. Haiyan Lei & Suiping Zeng & Aihemaiti Namaiti & Jian Zeng, 2023. "The Impacts of Road Traffic on Urban Carbon Emissions and the Corresponding Planning Strategies," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-20, March.
    22. Hugo Algarvio & António Couto & Ana Estanqueiro, 2024. "RES.Trade: An Open-Access Simulator to Assess the Impact of Different Designs on Balancing Electricity Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-18, December.
    23. João Passagem dos Santos & Hugo Algarvio, 2025. "A Machine Learning Model for Procurement of Secondary Reserve Capacity in Power Systems with Significant vRES Penetrations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-19, March.
    24. Hugo Algarvio & Vivian Sousa, 2025. "Strategic Bidding to Increase the Market Value of Variable Renewable Generators in New Electricity Market Designs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-18, May.
    25. Bo Chen & Feng Jin & Guangchen Li & Yurong Zhao, 2023. "Can the New Energy Demonstration City Policy Promote Green and Low-Carbon Development? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anu Toots & Leif Kalev, 2016. "Governing in the shadow of Bologna: return of the state in higher education quality assurance policy," International Journal of Public Policy, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 12(1/2), pages 54-70.
    2. Kristine Kern & Harriet Bulkeley, 2009. "Cities, Europeanization and Multi‐level Governance: Governing Climate Change through Transnational Municipal Networks," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 309-332, March.
    3. Merethe Dotterud Leiren & Kacper Szulecki & Tim Rayner & Catherine Banet, 2019. "Energy Security Concerns versus Market Harmony: The Europeanisation of Capacity Mechanisms," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(1), pages 92-104.
    4. Strunz, Sebastian & Lehmann, Paul & Gawel, Erik, 2021. "Analyzing the ambitions of renewable energy policy in the EU and its Member States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    5. Miloš Večeřa, 2012. "The process of Europeanization of law in the context of Czech law," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 60(2), pages 459-464.
    6. repec:bla:jcmkts:v:48:y:2010:i::p:787-810 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Elena-Alexandra GORGOS & Elena-Mădălina VĂTĂMĂNESCU & Andreia Gabriela ANDREI, 2016. "Europeanization through students’ lens: EU versus EaP citizens. Is there a collective identity?," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 7, pages 185-206, December.
    8. Trine Flockhart, 2010. "Europeanization or EU‐ization? The Transfer of European Norms across Time and Space," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 787-810, September.
    9. Mišík, Matúš, 2016. "On the way towards the Energy Union: Position of Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia towards external energy security integration," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 68-81.
    10. Peter Viggo Jakobsen, 2009. "Small States, Big Influence: The Overlooked Nordic Influence on the Civilian ESDP," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 81-102, January.
    11. Angelos Chryssogelos, 2017. "Still Europeanised? Greek Foreign Policy During the Eurozone Crisis," GreeSE – Hellenic Observatory Papers on Greece and Southeast Europe 118, Hellenic Observatory, LSE.
    12. Andoni, Merlinda & Robu, Valentin & Flynn, David & Abram, Simone & Geach, Dale & Jenkins, David & McCallum, Peter & Peacock, Andrew, 2019. "Blockchain technology in the energy sector: A systematic review of challenges and opportunities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 143-174.
    13. Amashukeli Mariam & Lezhava Diana & Chitashvili Marine, 2020. "“Conditioned” Quality Assurance of Higher Education in Georgia: Talking the EU Talk," Baltic Journal of European Studies, Sciendo, vol. 10(2), pages 75-95, September.
    14. Ben McWilliams & Giovanni Sgaravatti & Simone Tagliapietra & Georg Zachmann, 2023. "Can Europe live without Russian natural gas?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(4), pages 897-905, April.
    15. Sophie Jacquot & Cornelia Woll, 2003. "Usage of European Integration - Europeanisation from a Sociological Perspective," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-01019642, HAL.
    16. Timothy Fraser & Lily Cunningham & Amos Nasongo, 2021. "Build Back Better? Effects of Crisis on Climate Change Adaptation Through Solar Power in Japan and the United States," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 21(1), pages 54-75, Winter.
    17. Erşen, Emre & Çelikpala, Mitat, 2019. "Turkey and the changing energy geopolitics of Eurasia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 584-592.
    18. Roni Blushtein-Livnon & Tal Svoray & Itai Ficshhendler & Havatzelet Yahel & Emir Galilee & Michael Dorman, 2025. "Beyond Leaders and Laggards: A Typology of Renewable Energy Adoption Trajectories with Evidence from Off-Grid Communities," Papers 2505.22456, arXiv.org.
    19. Tanja A. Börzel, 2010. "The Transformative Power of Europe Reloaded - The Limits of External Europeanization," KFG Working Papers p0011, Free University Berlin.
    20. Filip Božić & Daria Karasalihović Sedlar & Ivan Smajla & Ivana Ivančić, 2021. "Analysis of Changes in Natural Gas Physical Flows for Europe via Ukraine in 2020," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-22, August.
    21. Rune Dahl Fitjar & Einar Leknes & Janne Thygesen, 2013. "Europeanisation of Regional Policy Making: A Boolean Analysis of Norwegian Counties' Participation in the Eu's Interreg Programme," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 31(3), pages 381-400, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:11:y:2021:i:3:p:75-:d:599842. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.