Brussels, 16/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - The Paris climate conference (COP21) will be the centrepiece of Luxembourg's six month presidency of the Council of the EU and no effort will be spared to make the EU the example to be followed, Carole Dieschbourg, who chairs the Environment Council, made clear when she set out the Presidency programme and priorities for the MEPs on the environment and health committee, which is chaired by Giovanni La Via (EPP, Italy), in Brussels on Wednesday 15 July (see EUROPE 11252).
The level of ambition and the determination she showed to make COP21 a success, and also to fight for good air quality, for biodiversity in Europe and global sustainable development, beguiled the MEPs. Many highlighted the convergent goals of the Parliament and the Council Presidency - in particular, in the shared refusal to see the unravelling of EU environmental legislation and the desire to set the EU on the path towards a circular economy based on new and ambitious proposals from the Commission.
“We are at a critical moment for the EU. Our achievements in terms of environmental legislation are under threat from deregulation and a return to national regulation. We must work together to show that environmental policies improve the quality of life of citizens and drive the competitiveness and innovation of our economy”, she said (our translation).
Circular economy. Dieschbourg said she was “very disappointed” with the European Commission work programme for 2015. “The circular economy legislative package has been withdrawn on the pretext that an agreement is unlikely when Parliament and Council discussions have only just started”, she bemoaned. “The circular economy is a huge opportunity for a more competitive economy and job creation”, she added. The new Commission proposal, which is expected in the autumn, will only be brought forward at the end of the Luxembourg Presidency. Nevertheless, “we will make sure that the greater ambition is not restricted to extending the powers of commissioners and that the level of environmental ambition is heightened”, she stated (our translation). The resolution adopted by Parliament on 9 July was, in this context, excellent work, she said (see EUROPE 11355).
Air quality in general and the NEC directive. The Luxembourg Presidency is very much of the view that the proposal for the revision of the directive on national emission ceilings (NEC directive), on which the environment committee has just delivered its view (see other article) has “'a fundamental role (to play) in combatting air pollution and reducing related premature deaths”. The member states' delegations are in the process of verifying emissions projections but the Presidency is optimistic about “making progress on both the type of reductions proposed and implementation difficulties”. It will examine the Parliament amendments and explore the possibilities of an agreement with Parliament “in the near future”.
Proposal for a regulation on the reduction of pollutant emissions from road vehicles. The agreement reached by national experts on real driving emissions will have an impact on draft regulations EURO V and EURO VI but that will not prevent the Presidency from stepping up efforts on this issue. Dieschbourg shares the Parliament view that “some of the measures have to be taken by the co-legislators rather than being left to delegated acts” (our translation), for example, on determining maximum values. Following the environment committee vote scheduled for 23 September, the Presidency will stand ready to explore possibilities for negotiation with Parliament.
Climate. The proposal on the reform of the ETS post-2020, presented to MEPs by Climate Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete on 15 July (see EUROPE 11360), will be on the agenda for discussion at the informal Environment Council on 23 July. Reform of the ETS is of vital importance because it “demonstrates that the EU is acting to maintain its pioneering role in combatting climate change”, the minister said. The Luxembourg Presidency will begin discussions in the Council working group at the start of September. The Environment Council of 18 September will adopt conclusions on the EU position for COP21. “We will pull out all the stops to make sure we have the most ambitious mandate possible with a view to capping the increase in temperature to under 2 degrees.” (our translation). Luxembourg will lay emphasis on climate financing - an issue to be discussed at ministerial level in the Environment and Ecofin Councils. The Presidency wants to “promote the idea of a toolbox with a wide range of financial instruments, both public and private”, said Dieschbourg.
Biodiversity. In December, the Presidency will propose adoption of Council conclusions “inspired by the revision of the EU strategy promised by Commissioner Vella for October at the latest” and by the report on the state of nature in Europe. “We are impatiently awaiting the outcome of Refit reviews of the habitats and birds directives”, the minister stated (our translation). Several MEPs voiced their fears that these directives may be undone.
Sustainable development. With the environmental dimension of the post-2015 agenda to be adopted in New York in September due to be strengthened, the Presidency will hold a discussion on the environmental objectives of the sustainable development goals at the informal Environment Council, 22-23 July. (Aminata Niang)