The fight against climate change will be at the top of the agenda of the European Council on 12 and 13 December, which the European Affairs Ministers began preparing on Tuesday 19 November by examining the annotated draft conclusions.
“I hope that the Leaders can finalise guidance for the EU long term strategy which aims at a climate neutral EU by 2050, that’s the first and foremost topic on the agenda”, Finnish Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen said at the closing press conference of the General Affairs Council.
Only Poland and Hungary, which are heavily dependent on fossil fuels for their electricity production and therefore attach great importance to the instruments that will support the transition, namely the Just Transition Fund, remain to be convinced.
“There is an interlinkage with the future Multiannual Financial Framework, but the fact that the two (subjects: editor's note) are on the agenda can be helpful. Some countries are still considering whether to join the objective, but I am very optimistic to reach an agreement”, Mrs Tuppurainen told EUROPE, assuring that the Finnish Presidency will do everything in its power to help reach agreement in December. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)