EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson has urged France to raise its renewable energy target to “at least 44%” by 2030, warning it would consider taking “steps” at EU level in case of persistent shortcomings, writes Euractiv.

Paris has until now refused to put forward a renewables target for 2030, pushing instead for a wider “decarbonised” energy goal, which combines nuclear power and renewables.

With a June deadline looming for EU countries to submit their final National Energy and Climate Plans, the European Commission is becoming increasingly confrontational with the French, insisting that they make their fair contribution to the EU’s renewable energy goals.

According to Brussels’ calculations, France needs to achieve at least 44% renewables in its gross final energy consumption by 2030 in order to contribute to the EU target of 42.5% set out in the Renewable Energy Directive, which was updated last year.

“France has to significantly raise its ambition on renewable energy sources to at least 44%,” said Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson.

France has already missed its renewables target for 2020 and refuses to rectify this via the bloc’s “statistical transfer” mechanism, where overachievers help out underachievers, as other countries did.

Now, the Commissioner is “advising them to include some missing specific targets”, a clear reference to France’s refusal to add a renewables target to its National Energy and Climate Plan.

Every EU country must submit these plans to enable the Commission to assess whether the bloc is on track to meet its climate targets. Final versions must be submitted by June 2024.