Proposal for reviewing the Regulation on trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) : assessment and recommendations

Energy networks play an essential role in enabling competition, thus improving energy affordability, and in supporting decarbonisation of energy demand and security of supply. While the current regulatory framework has successfully supported market integration across the EU and delivered remarkable results, energy networks now need rapidly to adapt to a more decentralised, digitalised and flexible energy system, delivering more electric energy as the basis for the implementation of the “energy efficiency first” principle and for electrification in a fast-evolving geopolitical context. To this end, on 10 December 2025, the European Commission proposed a European Grids Package, with the aim of enabling energy to flow more efficiently across all Member States, integrating cheaper clean energy and accelerating electrification, so as to lower energy prices and support affordable living for all Europeans, while preserving reliability in uncertain times (e.g. cyber security). On 12 February 2026, the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) organised one of its Regulatory Policy Workshops to provide an opportunity to discuss the proposals presented in the European Grids Package. Building on the takeaways from this event, this policy paper aims at providing an overview of the most debated elements of the Grids Package. The paper starts with a short history of the policy on trans-European networks for energy (TEN-E) from 2013 onwards. It then considers six topics, most of which are being widely discussed by stakeholders in relation to the Grids Package. For each topic, we outline the current state of play, summarise the proposed changes to the TEN-E Regulation and formulate recommendations on the way forward, in view of robust and future-proof grid planning at the European level.