ADVOCACY
In the European Union, the Commission has the monopoly of legislative initiative. This means that the Commission is the only institution that can propose a law, before Parliament and Council amend it, accept, or refuse it. A core component of our modern liberal democracy is the involvement of interested parties and stakeholders in the legislative process. To fulfill that end, before sending any initiative to the Council or Parliament, the Commission collects the opinions of a myriad of actors on their drafts. While they are not obliged to implement recommendations directly, they must take them into account when producing their outputs.
As a registered stakeholder under registration 919904250404-78 of the EU transparency register, 75inQ makes sure that the voice of their members is heard on every relevant legislative draft. Please find below the consultation replies we have submitted since October 2025.
EU Consultations
This section holds a record of the consultation answers 75inQ has submitted to the European Commission’s consultations.
Energy reporting – amended templates to reflect European Green Deal outcomes and simplification
May 2026
Request by the EU to get input on draft reporting obligations for Member States in the context of the collection of European Green Deal outcome metrics.
75inQ has suggested including gender-disaggregated indicators in the reporting obligations, in different strategic tables included in the draft annex text to the act. These include gender-disaggregated energy poverty tracking and gender-disaggregated consumption tracking. 75inQ insists on the crucial importance of gender-disaggregated data collection for policy elaboration, research and poverty alleviation,
Renewable energy – Legal framework after 2030
April 2026
Request by the EU to get input on how renewable energy sources (RES) and their uptake in the EU could be promoted in the period post-2030 with a view to determine what additional EU action is needed to achieve the 2040 objectives and beyond.
75inQ has suggested that special attention be paid to protecting vulnerable consumers in the development of RES and that the needed RES workforce expansion be based on achieving gender balance in the industry. To support these standards, 75inQ proposes the establishment of formal mentorship schemes for female students and professionals in the relevant fields with a view to improve retention rates in the sector.
Energy efficiency – legal framework after 2030
April 2026
Request by the EU to get input on how the Energy Efficiency Directive has performed and what the energy efficiency framework for the decade ahead should look like. It also aimed to determine whether additional EU action is needed to achieve the 2040 objectives and more besides
75inq has suggested that special attention be paid to gender mainstreaming in upcoming legislation on the topic of energy efficiency. 75inQ has suggested that flexibilities be implemented for female-led households in situations of energy poverty in policies making mandatory the retrofitting of home appliances. 75inQ advocates for the inclusion of gender-disaggregated data in efficiency calculations for heating and cooling appliances to account for different physiological temperature needs.
EU action plan for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action (GAP IV)
April 2026
Request by the EU to get input on the priorities to establish for the next Gender Action Plan for the EU’s external affairs.
75inQ has suggested that special attention be paid to supply chain social responsibility when trade agreements are concluded with third countries, and to the collection of gender-disaggregated data in order to ensure efficient EU action. 75inQ recommends for social responsibility assessments to focus on forced and unsafe labour consequences trade agreements may have on women in third countries. Additionally, 75inQ advocates for the collection of gender-disaggregated data in CSDDD assessments.75inQ advises for an extension of their assessment scope to smaller enterprises that can endanger women’s working conditions in the same capacity as those within the scope.
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EU strategy for islands (Coastal Communities Strategy)
March 2026
Request by the EU to get input on the main challenges for coastal regions, such as climate resilience and housing, to help shape a new strategy for competitive and inclusive communities. 75inQ has suggested that the strategy must incorporate gender mainstreaming, as insular regions exhibit higher levels of gender inequality and pay gaps than continental Europe. 75inQ recommends that the EU encourage awareness of STEM education in these regions and ensure the growth of the clean energy industry, specifically prioritizing female employment to achieve a more socially equal transition.
Strategic Roadmap for digitalisation and AI in the energy sector
October 2025
Request by the EU to get input on a strategic roadmap to accelerate the rollout of digital solutions and AI in areas such as grid optimisation, energy efficiency in buildings, and demand-side flexibility.
75inQ has suggested incorporating gender mainstreaming to prevent AI from perpetuating existing gender biases and invisibilizing women’s struggles. Specific recommendations include encouraging AI training for women at all career stages, utilizing gender-disaggregated data, and providing direct funding opportunities for female-led energy companies to adopt AI tools.
Chips Act 2
November 2025
Request by the EU to get input on an evaluation and review of the Chips Act to ensure it remains fit for purpose amidst changing market and technological realities.
75inQ has suggested that increasing the share of women in the semiconductor workforce, currently only around 17% to 19.5%, is essential to mitigate manufacturing and monitoring capacity shortages. 75inQ recommends adding a gender mainstreaming arm to the act, incentivizing semiconductor studies for women through targeted subsidies, and establishing gendered quotas.
Communication on small modular reactors
November 2025
Request by the EU to get input on a strategy to accelerate the deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) through industrial coordination and a competitive European supply chain.
75inQ has suggested that the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs should ensure gender parity in employment to address the expected shortage of highly skilled graduates in the nuclear sector. Additionally, 75inQ recommends targeted awareness campaigns for women regarding the safety of SMRs to decrease the high levels of public distrust found in the female population.
Public Employment Network
December 2025
Request by the EU to get input on assessing the effectiveness of the Public Employment Services (PES) Network.
75inQ has suggested that policy makers must preserve and strictly implement measures regarding gender parity within the network. 75inQ also supports the intended involvement of specialized NGOs and civil society actors in national implementation strategies.
Energy efficiency – labelling requirements for space and combination heaters
February 2026
Request by the EU to get input on reforming the ecodesign labeling for space and combination heaters to increase consumer transparency.
75inQ has suggested that labels should reflect gender-disaggregated data because women often have different physiological temperature requirements than men. 75inQ advocates for separate efficiency ratings based on male and female consumption standards to allow women to make informed, efficient choices.
European strategy for vocational education and training (VET) to strengthen EU competitiveness
February 2026
Request by the EU to get input on building a more attractive, innovative, and inclusive VET strategy to support a future-ready workforce and EU strategic autonomy.
75inQ has suggested establishing formal mentoring programs at the secondary and tertiary levels to reduce high dropout rates for women in STEM fields. 75inQ also proposes gender-specific retention policies and awareness campaigns to build a culture that encourages women to remain in strategic technical careers.
Electricity markets – removing barriers to power purchase agreements
Request by the EU to get input on a recommendation to help Member States remove barriers to power purchase agreements (PPAs) to lower and stabilize energy prices.
75inQ has suggested that the EU should encourage Member States to oblige utility companies to pass on commercial benefits to end-consumers, specifically female-led households, through longer-term fixed-price contracts to alleviate gendered energy poverty. 75inQ also recommends conducting assessments of these agreements based on benefit-sharing criteria to ensure consumers are not harmed.
Call for Evidence Forced Labour regulation implementation guidelines
February 2026
Request by the EU to get input on implementation guidelines for the 2024 Forced Labour Regulation (FLR), focusing on evidence requirements and due diligence practices.
75inQ has suggested embedding gender-responsive due diligence across all stages of enforcement to identify hidden forms of exploitation that disproportionately affect women. Recommendations include collecting sex-disaggregated workforce data, training authorities to identify gendered indicators of forced labour, and ensuring grievance mechanisms are safe and accessible for women.
Simplification of energy-efficient products legislation
March 2026
Request by the EU to get input on proposals to simplify energy and tyre labelling legislation to reduce administrative costs for businesses while improving compliance.
75inQ has suggested that any reduction of administrative obligations must be clearly defined to avoid gender blindness or the removal of policies that alleviate inequality. Specifically, 75inQ advocates for the inclusion of gender-disaggregated data in efficiency calculations for heating and cooling appliances to account for different physiological temperature needs.
Update of the governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action
March 2026
Request by the EU to get input on reviewing the governance framework of the Energy Union to ensure Member States can effectively meet their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).
75inQ has suggested that the current governance framework overlooks the distributional impacts of the energy transition on women, who are disproportionately affected by energy poverty and shifts in the energy job market. 75inQ recommends that the EU operationalise gender-mainstreaming by making the collection and reporting of gender-disaggregated data mandatory for energy poverty and employment. Additionally, 75inQ advocates for including clear definitions of gendered energy inequality in legal recitals and ensuring that civil society involvement includes representative samples of populations experiencing energy poverty.
EU Framework for Calculating the Global Warming Potential of New Buildings
October 2025
Request by the EU to get input on establishing a harmonized framework to calculate the life-cycle global warming potential (GWP) of new buildings to be disclosed in energy performance certificates. 75inQ has suggested making the collection and publication of gender-disaggregated data mandatory, as ignoring gendered consumption patterns and physiological needs can lead to faulty environmental assessments. 75inQ also recommends adding a gender mainstreaming clause to the regulation and advising Member States to consult gender equality experts.