Partnership Principle Violation in REPowerEU in Central and Eastern Europe

Civil society organization (CSO) representatives from eight countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have expressed their concern regarding the participation process in the preparation of the REPowerEU chapters. The representatives believe that the current process could significantly impact the quality of the chapters and investments included therein. The CSOs are concerned that the lack of transparent and inclusive participation may lead to the exclusion of important stakeholders, ultimately resulting in suboptimal outcomes and undermining the policy's legitimacy. The CSOs urge for more transparency and active involvement of all stakeholders in the preparation of the REPowerEU chapters to ensure that they accurately reflect the interests and needs of the communities they will serve.

This position paper proposes that the European Commission should consider extending the deadline for project funding and obliging Member States to involve civil society, reflect on their ideas, and implement good suggestions.