Power-only hydro plants not covered by EU services law, top court says
( September 3, 2026, 08:43 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: Small-scale hydroelectric plants whose sole or principal activity is generating electricity are not covered by the EU Services Directive, the EU Court of Justice said on Thursday. The dispute concerns Italian rules permitting certain hydro concessions to be prolonged without a tender, and whether electricity generation should be treated as a service or as the production of a good. EU judges said electricity generation amounts to the production of a good, not the supply of a service, and that ancillary activities linked to operating the plants do not change that classification.Judgment attached (in French). Case reference is C-653/24. ...
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