The European multi-level governance framework represents one of the most complex institutional architectures developed globally. Unlike classical, strictly hierarchical systems, the European Union operates on the basis of a dynamic distribution of competences between the supranational, national, regional and local levels, in a framework characterized by interdependence and permanent cooperation. Thus, decisions are the result of a continuous process of negotiation, coordination and co-creation between actors located at multiple administrative levels.

At the supranational level, the European institutions – in particular the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union – set the strategic directions and the general legislative framework. In the field of energy and climate policies, these institutions formulate common objectives, such as climate neutrality by 2050, reducing greenhouse gas emissions or increasing the share of renewable energy. However, the actual implementation of these objectives is not carried out directly by Brussels, but mainly by the Member States, which transpose the directives into national law and draw up strategic plans adapted to the domestic context.

Local authorities, in turn, manage areas with a direct impact on the energy transition – urban planning, mobility, energy efficiency of buildings, public infrastructure or community services. Thus, cities become central actors in the implementation of European policies, even if they do not participate directly in the European legislative process. This distribution of responsibilities reflects the principle of subsidiarity, according to which decisions should be taken as close as possible to the citizen, at the most administratively efficient level.

The practical functioning of the European model requires permanent vertical and horizontal coordination mechanisms. Vertical coordination ensures the alignment of objectives between the EU, national and local levels, while horizontal coordination facilitates cooperation between regions, cities or Member States. Instruments such as the Integrated National Energy and Climate Change Plans, the European Structural and Investment Funds or the Smart Cities Initiative are concrete examples of this institutional interaction.

A defining element of the European framework is its non-hierarchical and negotiated character. Competences are shared, and many areas – including energy and the environment – ​​are regulated by shared competences between the EU and the Member States. This structure creates a space of interdependence, in which no level can act effectively in isolation. The success of policies depends on the ability of actors to cooperate, to harmonise priorities and to integrate different perspectives within a common framework.

In practice, the European model of multi-level governance operates as a polycentric system, in which decision-making centres are interconnected. This structure allows for flexibility and adaptability, but also implies a high degree of administrative complexity. It is precisely this combination of strategic coordination at European level and decentralised implementation at local level that makes the European Union a distinctive example of collaborative governance, capable of managing cross-border challenges such as climate change and energy security.

The European Union aims to lead the global transition to clean energy by fulfilling its obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the Paris Agreement, and is fully committed to ensuring the provision of secure, affordable and sustainable energy for its citizens. To meet this commitment, the European Union has formulated clear energy and climate objectives for the 2030 horizon, as follows:

  • reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030, compared to 1990;
  • a 32% share for renewable energy.
  • a 32.5% improvement in energy efficiency.
  • a target for electricity market interconnection of 15% by 2030.

The Integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are based on Regulation (EU) 2018/1999[1] on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action. This Regulation is part of a wider legislative package ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’, which aims to implement the EU’s 2030 energy and climate objectives, while ensuring coherence with long-term decarbonisation strategies by 2050. NECPs are the basic instruments through which Member States define their own contributions to the achievement of the EU’s collective energy and climate objectives. Thus, each Member State of the European Union is required to present an Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) with a validity of 10 years, covering the five dimensions of the Energy Union: energy security, decarbonisation, energy efficiency, the internal energy market and research, innovation and competitiveness. NECPs set out national objectives and contributions to achieving the EU's climate change objectives.

[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/RO/TXT/?uri=celex:32018R1999

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