Brussels, 14/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - Basing themselves on the communication of the European Commission of 26 May last, entitled “Analysis of options to move beyond 20% greenhouse gas emission reductions and assessing the risk of carbon leakage", EU27 environment ministers meeting at the Luxembourg Council on Friday 11 June considered that the questions raised in this document required more detailed discussions so that they could reach an appropriate position on the possible 30% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Ministers decided to return to this issue at the October 2010 Environment Council at the latest.
The Commission's communication on the impact that an increased reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 20% to 30% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels, tackles the impact that such of approach could have in terms of European companies that are high in energy consumption relocating to countries that impose less strict environmental standards (“carbon leakage”). According to the Commission's analysis, moving from a 20% to 30% reduction target would have a “limited economic impact”. The EU27 would, however, like to know more about it, particularly with regard to what impact the shift to the 30% target would mean to each individual member state. In this perspective, they welcomed the Commission's intention to provide a more detailed analysis of the different costs and benefits in the proposal, which would also be provided on the basis of each member state.
The Spanish minister of the environment, Elena Espinosa Mangana, who presided over the work, said that the Council had not prevaricated. She informed the press that all the different countries recognise the effort made by the Community executive, as well as the wealth of information provided, but requested that further details be given with regard to certain aspects such as emissions trading, energy security, technological leadership and taxation. According to the Spanish minister, the debate did not equal a rejection of the Commission document at all. “On the contrary, support from member states has been an invaluable addition to this communication and aims to provide supplementary information”, she added. The commissioner for climate action, Connie Hedegaard, stated that the different countries had demonstrated that they wanted “ambitious results” during the climate summit in Cancun (Mexico) on 29 November - 10 December next.
Until a few months ago, the European Commission was indicating that the conditions were not in place for a unilateral 30% reduction in greenhouse gases from the EU. The communication of 26 May indicated a turnaround because the European Commission decided that two years after the crisis, the risk of losses in European industry's competitiveness had been significantly reduced and that the cost of shifting to a 30% reduction target had fallen sharply, particularly because it would be compensated in creating more jobs.
In Luxembourg on Friday, France was fully behind the Commission's goal. The French minister for ecology, Jean-Louis Borloo, indicated that France would like a more detailed study to be speeded up on the possible options for moving to a 30% reduction target more rapidly. The adaptation of the French economy to the new environmental equation was much more rapid than expected and according to the minister, “our forecasts provide us with assurances that France will go beyond the 30% threshold by 2020”. The Spanish Presidency of the EU, as well as Germany, the United Kingdom and all of the Nordic countries defended positions that were close to those put forward by Paris. Sweden said that it was even prepared to move unilaterally from a 20% to 30% reduction target on a national basis. Nonetheless, with a short time to go before the publication of the Commission communication, France and Germany expressed the position of most member states but did point out that they did not want to go beyond the Copenhagen commitments. The French minister for industry, Christian Estrosi, stated at a joint press conference with the German minister for the economy, Rainer Brüderle, that “the conditional offer is still there but we do not know what offers are being made by other countries … it is necessary to protect competitiveness and jobs in the EU, and our companies need a clear framework to carry out long term investments”. Faced with this turnaround from Paris and Berlin, the Italian minister for the environment, Stefania Prestigiacomo, expressed surprise on Friday in Luxembourg, and the positions adopted by her EU27 counterparts, which she said were un-representative of those of the national governments and “belonged to a dream world”. In response, Connie Hedegaard explained: “Of course they (the environment ministers) represent their governments and what they say reflects the position of their governments”. (O.L./transl.fl)