The European Union has targets for 2020, 2030, and 2050 in order to pursue its energy goals systematically. These targets provide the EU with a stable policy framework regarding greenhouse gas emissions, renewables, and energy efficiency. They also endow investors with clarity, while simultaneously illustrating the EU's global leadership in the energy field.  

The 2020 Energy Strategy defines the EU's priorities between 2010 and 2020, known as the “20-20-20” targets:

• Reducing greenhouse gases by at least 20%
• Increasing the share of renewable energy in the EU's energy mix to at least 20% of consumption
• Improving energy efficiency by at least 20%

 EU Member States have also agreed to the following objectives for 2030:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% (compared to 1990 levels)
• Ensuring 27% of energy consumed within the EU comes from renewable sources
• Improving energy efficiency by at least 27%
• Completing the internal energy market by reaching an electricity interconnection target of 15% between EU countries and pushing forward infrastructure projects

The EU also aims to achieve an 80-90% reduction in greenhouse gases (compared to 1990) by 2050. The Energy Roadmap 2050 lays out a number of scenarios for meeting this target.