Classification of local electricity supply facilities (‘customer facilities’) under internal market law pursuant to Directive (EU) 2019/944

Question for written answer E-000942/2026
to the Commission
Rule 144
Andrea Wechsler (PPE), Christian Ehler (PPE), Jens Geier (S&D), Hildegard Bentele (PPE), Jens Gieseke (PPE)

Following the ruling of the Court of Justice in Case C-293/23 (ENGIE Deutschland) and subsequent case-law in Germany, local electricity supply models that have been widely used to date (e.g. tenant electricity/neighbourhood solutions, business parks, shopping centres, hospitals) are being classified as distribution systems within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2019/944 much more often. This would means that operators supplying electricity to several end users via short internal lines would in many cases have obligations typically foreseen for regulated distribution system operators. The stricter classification threatens to overwhelm well-established, locally limited supply structures with significant regulatory obligations, without any measurable strengthening of competition or system security.

• 1.Does the Commission agree that current EU law does not provide a proportionate exemption framework for such small-scale, geographically limited installations, where competition is not appreciably affected?
• 2.Is the Commission considering a targeted amendment of Directive (EU) 2019/944 (or accompanying legal acts) to provide Member States with a clear legal framework for 'customer facility-like' structures that should not be considered as networks?

Submitted: 6.3.2026