Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Climate change and the energy transition: what role for Article 101 (3) TFEU?

Nowag, Julian LU and Sauter, Wolf (2024) p.159-181
Abstract
This chapter explores the interaction between competition law and especially Article 101(3) TFEU and environmental and climate change goals in the context of the EU’s Green Deal and the aim of energy transition. First, it reviews the evolution of the Commission’s and national authorities’ approaches to environmental and climate benefits in their general assessment of horizontal and vertical agreements in the energy sector over the past two decades, most recently in the form of the 2023 Horizontal Guidelines. Next, the chapter zooms in on four types of agreement that are of particular relevance to the renewable energy transition, examining joint purchasing, infrastructure collaboration, R&D cooperation and long-term contracts in... (More)
This chapter explores the interaction between competition law and especially Article 101(3) TFEU and environmental and climate change goals in the context of the EU’s Green Deal and the aim of energy transition. First, it reviews the evolution of the Commission’s and national authorities’ approaches to environmental and climate benefits in their general assessment of horizontal and vertical agreements in the energy sector over the past two decades, most recently in the form of the 2023 Horizontal Guidelines. Next, the chapter zooms in on four types of agreement that are of particular relevance to the renewable energy transition, examining joint purchasing, infrastructure collaboration, R&D cooperation and long-term contracts in vertical relationships. Overall, recent developments show that EU competition law is able to take account of climate benefits, although such benefits do not provide a blanket exemption, and agreements restricting competition will be scrutinized closely. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Environmental law, Competition law, 2023 Horizontal Guidelines, Energy transition, Joint purchasing, Infrastructure collaboration, Long-term contracts, R&D cooperation, Article 101(3) TFEU exception, Miljörätt, Konkurrensrätt
host publication
Research Handbook on EU Competition Law and the Energy Transition
editor
Hancher, Leigh and Herrera Anchustegui, Ignacio
pages
23 pages
publisher
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85212894120
ISBN
9781803922584
9781803922591
DOI
10.4337/9781803922591.00015
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
20a6fd5c-73ba-4bef-bd83-a5455e71b74b
date added to LUP
2025-02-19 13:09:57
date last changed
2025-07-10 15:52:08
@inbook{20a6fd5c-73ba-4bef-bd83-a5455e71b74b,
  abstract     = {{This chapter explores the interaction between competition law and especially Article 101(3) TFEU and environmental and climate change goals in the context of the EU’s Green Deal and the aim of energy transition. First, it reviews the evolution of the Commission’s and national authorities’ approaches to environmental and climate benefits in their general assessment of horizontal and vertical agreements in the energy sector over the past two decades, most recently in the form of the 2023 Horizontal Guidelines. Next, the chapter zooms in on four types of agreement that are of particular relevance to the renewable energy transition, examining joint purchasing, infrastructure collaboration, R&D cooperation and long-term contracts in vertical relationships. Overall, recent developments show that EU competition law is able to take account of climate benefits, although such benefits do not provide a blanket exemption, and agreements restricting competition will be scrutinized closely.}},
  author       = {{Nowag, Julian and Sauter, Wolf}},
  booktitle    = {{Research Handbook on EU Competition Law and the Energy Transition}},
  editor       = {{Hancher, Leigh and Herrera Anchustegui, Ignacio}},
  isbn         = {{9781803922584}},
  keywords     = {{Environmental law; Competition law; 2023 Horizontal Guidelines; Energy transition; Joint purchasing; Infrastructure collaboration; Long-term contracts; R&D cooperation; Article 101(3) TFEU exception; Miljörätt; Konkurrensrätt}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{159--181}},
  publisher    = {{Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.}},
  title        = {{Climate change and the energy transition: what role for Article 101 (3) TFEU?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4337/9781803922591.00015}},
  doi          = {{10.4337/9781803922591.00015}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}