At a time where estimates for future hydrogen transportation networks are being adapted to increasing costs and challenges, see the December 9, 2025 Dutch announcement of an extra 2.3 bln needed to complete 1200 km of H2 pipelines to connect the five chemical clusters, ENNOH, the European Network of Network Operators for Hydrogen, established in July 2025 as the organisation for the cooperation of the EU Hydrogen Transmission Network Operators (HTNOs) to promote the development and proper functioning of the internal market for hydrogen and cross-border trade, is aiming to ensure the optimal management, coordinated operation and sound technical evolution of the future European hydrogen transmission network.

Recently the Germany’s Federal Network Agency decided on a fee of EUR 25 (USD 29.21) per kWh per hour annually for the use of the country’s future hydrogen core network. Germany is building a 9,040-km-long core network, to be put in operation by 2032, with some sections already being completed. Around 60% of the planned network will represent existing natural gas pipelines converted to transport hydrogen and 40% will be newly built. According to data from the Federal Network Agency, the total investment costs are expected to be EUR 18.9 billion.

Complementing the work of ENTSO-Gas, ENNOH’s regulatory/expert tasks and deliverables will include:
1. Providing regular information, delivering common operational tools, and ensuring regional cooperation, as requested by the Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Market Package.
2. Elaborating Union-wide Ten-Year Network Development Plans (TYNDP) and all associated developments.
3. Developing network codes and technical recommendations of multiple topics for efficient and effective market and system operation.

On 20 October 2025 ENNOH launched its second consultation, closing 10 January 2026. Download here the Preparatory Groundwork Paper in the Areas of Future Hydrogen Network Codes (“Groundwork Paper”).

The Groundwork Paper sets out initial ideas and considerations on how future hydrogen market design could evolve. These ideas reflect ENNOH’s and its members’ early views on topics expected to shape future Hydrogen Network Codes, in line with Article 72 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1789 (“Gas & H2 Regulation”). The consultation seeks to gather views from market participants, infrastructure operators, industry representatives, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders. Feedback will help ENNOH to better understand the sector’s priorities and challenges in developing an efficient, interoperable, and transparent hydrogen market.

The proposed considerations are organised according to the areas of potential future network codes specified in the Gas & H2 Regulation:

1. Access to hydrogen infrastructure — including principles for capacity allocation, balancing, tariffs and transparency.
2. Financing and de-risking mechanisms — such as inter-temporal cost allocation.
3. Interoperability and technical rules — covering hydrogen quality, blending, measurement, and cross-border system compatibility.
4. General considerations — on the overall role of hydrogen infrastructure and the coherence between future network codes.

Each section contains statements and brief explanations reflecting ENNOH’s current thinking and participants may:

• Comment on any or all proposed statements OR
• Provide general views on one or several of the above areas OR
• Submit broader perspectives on the future design of hydrogen markets.

Submissions can be made using the consultation template provided below and sent via email to: public.consultations@ennoh.eu. Download here the consultation template.