Energy Master on Tour: Brussels Study Trip 2026

At the end of March, the Master in Global Energy Transition and Governance students spent a week packed with meetings and debates with energy experts and practitioners in Brussels.

How is the EU implementing its ambitious goals for a clean energy transition? And how do companies and associations deal with the impact of the Green Deal legislation? What are the challenges lying ahead to meet the ambitious EU targets while "leaving no one behind"? These were some of the questions that the students discussed with a wide array of European experts.

At the European Parliament, they visited the hemicycle and met Heike Leberle, Administrator of the ENVI Committee, who spoke about the EU’s energy and environmental policies after COP. The political vision of the EU energy policy was discussed with Jeremie Zeitoun from the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the EU.

At the European Commission, the students met Thomas Regnier, Spokesperson for Tech Sovereignty, Defence and Space, who addressed the issue of the Digital Services Act. Joachim Balke, Head of Unit at DG ENER, spoke about interconnections and energy markets. The students also discussed the advancement of the EU's Just Transition and the challenges it faces with Veronique Marx at DG ENER. With Victoria Volossov at DG CLIMA, the debate focused on CBAM and the aviation sector. Following the midday press briefing, the group had the chance to meet Stefan De Keersmaecker, Director of Political Communication, who explained how the team of spokespeople prepares the daily midday press briefing and the challenges at stake.

After the EU institutions, the students met representatives of the trade associations. At Eurelectric, the group exchanged with Giuseppina Rondinelli, HR Manager, and Joren Schepers, Policy Advisor and CIFE Alumnus, who presented their positions on topics such as the grids package, AI for power and power for AI, as well as the industrial accelerator act. The students also exchanged with Ivan Delibasic, Isabel Alcalde de Oñate and Theofanis-Paraskevas Grammenos at Hydrogen Europe.

Two further meetings added to the diversity of EU voices: Thomas Lewis, Policy Coordinator at Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and a CIFE Alumnus, spoke about electrification and the grids from a campaigner’s point of view. Jonathan Bonadio explained the positions of the renewable energy communities at REScoop.eu.

The programme would not have been complete without talks with the private sector and their representatives of government affairs at ENGIE, Vattenfall and Umicore.

We thank all the speakers for sharing their precious knowledge with the next generation of EU energy policymakers, and all those involved in the organisation of this interesting study trip!