PCI – Projects of Common European Interest
Find out more about PCI projects and the procedure manual for projects promoters.
Introduction
PCI projects are the EU's definition of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) for European infrastructure, which connect EU countries with each other. Since 2023, there are also PMI (Projects of Mutual Interest), which connect EU countries with countries outside the EU.
There are currently nine Danish PCI projects, which were published with the last PCI/PMI list in November 2023. The list is updated every two years, when projects must re-apply and the next PCI/PMI list is expected to be published in November 2025.
Manual of procedures for PCI/PMI projects in Denmark
The procedure manual for projects promoters provides an overview of the permit granting process for PCI projects in Denmark.
In October 2023 , the Danish Energy Agency published a procedure manual aimed at assisting project promoters involved in PCI projects in gaining an understanding of the permit granting process in Denmark, which has now been translated.
The purpose of the PCI procedure manual is to aid project promoters in gaining an overview of the authorization processes for PCI projects in the trans-European energy infrastructure.
The manual outlines the general authorization process for PCI projects and describes eight specific areas, providing descriptions of the processes within each area, necessary permissions, and relevant legislation that project promoters should keep in mind.
About
Regulation (EU) No. 869/2022 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2022 on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure (TEN-E Regulation), stipulates in Article 9(1) that Member States must publish a procedure manual on the authorization processes for projects of common European interest.
The procedure manual conveys the information outlined in Chapter 3 and Annex VI of the TEN-E Regulation, which may be relevant to PCI projects in Denmark.
The European Commission’s website provides more information on projects of common European interest. The website also provides information on CEF financing, selection criteria, and more.
Go to the European Commission’s website about PCI
Application process
A permit process for PCI or PMI projects may take a maximum of 3 ½ years and often involves contact with several authorities. It is therefore recommended that the project promoter contacts the Danish Energy Agency well in advance – preferably before the project reaches the required maturity.
The Danish Energy Agency is the primary contact point for project promoters for PCI/PMI projects and can be contacted at: Danish Energy Agency, Carsten Niebuhrs Gade 43, 1577 Copenhagen V, Tel: 33926700, E-mail: ens@ens.dk.
