EU energy ministers have agreed to faster permitting for wind farms and a higher renewable target of 40% by 2030 as part of changes to the economic bloc’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and its Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).

In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine and the need for Europe to wean itself off Russian energy imports, the ministers also approved that the renewables build-up and grid expansion needed for it should be considered of ‘overarching public interest’ and ‘public safety’ in order to diminish possible court and administrative challenges to projects.