The Cypriot government has already notified the European Commission of a delay in submitting its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) for the 2021-2030 period, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment said referring to a warning letter issued by the Commission to Cyprus and 12 other member states regarding the late submission. Cyprus anticipates submitting the plan in December 2024.
In a press release, the Ministry said it had informed the Commission of the anticipated delay, citing “specific issues” that arose. Under the EU Governance Regulation, Cyprus and other member states should have submitted their final NECPs by June 30, 2024.
However, the Ministry added, significant new developments necessitated adjustments to the plan. These include updated forecasts for critical parameters such as GDP growth, population changes, fuel prices, greenhouse gas emissions inventories, and calculation methods for emissions from waste. The Ministry also referred to updated assumptions regarding the arrival of natural gas and the electricity interconnection project as contributing factors to the delay.
It further noted that the Council of Ministers recently approved the proposed plan outlined in the final draft of the revised NECP, along with the actions and timeline for finalising and submitting it in December 2024. National procedures for finalising the plan are already underway, it said.
The Ministry assured that the matter “is being closely monitored” and that it is working with all stakeholders to ensure the plan is submitted to the European Commission as soon as possible.cna
