Abstract

Hydrogen has become a key element of the European Union's strategy to achieve climate neutrality, energy security, and internal market integration. This article analyses the emergence of a common EU hydrogen energy policy from a legal perspective, focusing on the evolution of EU competences, the development of secondary legislation, and the implications for Member State autonomy. It traces the progression of EU hydrogen policy from early research-oriented initiatives to a comprehensive regulatory framework shaped by the European Green Deal, the EU Hydrogen Strategy, REPowerEU, and the Decarbonised Gas and Hydrogen Package, including the Renewable and Natural Gases and Hydrogen (RNGH) Directive and Regulation and the revised TEN-E Regulation.