(Article by Dr Maria Ioannou, Senior Associate published in the Energy & Natural Resources Newsletter of the ILO on March 7, 2022)
Law 4843/2021 was enacted in October 2021.(1) The new law contains mainly energy-related provisions – for example, on the transposition into national law of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive and the introduction of provisions that aim to increase the penetration of renewables into the Greek energy mix.
The new law also contains certain provisions that aim to tackle specific recent environmental issues. Article 73 of the new law sets forth the suspension of submission of applications for:
- all necessary licences and approvals for the installation and operation of wind farms in the municipalities of Istiea, Edipsos and Mantoudi of northern Evia;
- the issuance of producer certificates and certificates of special renewable energy source (RES) projects; and
- connecting to the grid.
The new law provides that any such pending applications shall be declined. Further, the new law provides that any production licences, producer certificates or certificates of special RES projects that were issued after 1 January 2021 in connection to wind farms located (even partially) within the same municipalities shall be rescinded.
This comes in the wake of the devastating wildfires that ensued in 2021 in the northern part of the island of Evia. The provisions aim to achieve a more effective reforestation process.
Download: New environmental provisions introduced with Energy Law.pdf