In response to the European Council’s assessment of 12 and 13 December, which was presented as a major step forward for the climate by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday, 18 December, MEPs welcomed the fact that agreement had been reached on the EU's goal of climate neutrality by 2050. But most expressed regret that Poland was not able to commit itself to this goal at this stage (see EUROPE 12389/1).
Criticisms concerning the lack of discussion of the implications of the transition for the EU's next multiannual financial framework (MFF) were widespread, with MEPs believing that the project on the table does not match the EU's climate ambition.
“The EU Council reached unanimous agreement on the EU's goal of being climate neutral by 2050, with more time for one Member State to commit to implementation”, Charles Michel said. He said that this is “a huge step in the right direction”. “We needed to define a course of action, an ambition. We’ve done that”.
To all those who, like the Greens, stressed that 2050 is a long way off, and that what is important is a proposal to increase the 2030 target before the EU/China summit (in Leipzig in September), Michel gave an assurance that he recognised “the need to agree the 2030 target very quickly”, adding that “we will work on it with the Commission after the necessary assessments have been made, in time for COP26”.
Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of the European Green Deal in making the transition an opportunity for sustainable green growth.
Manfred Weber (EPP, Germany), believed that removing greenhouse gases by 2050 “would be a major success”, but it comes back to the budget. “Entrepreneurs, researchers, and farmers expect greater security. The European Council isn’t even discussing it!”
Dacian Cioloș (Renew Europe, Romania) expressed regret that determination was not enough to implement the goal of climate neutrality. “It's great to have goals, but then you have to be able to implement them. The Commission must make proposals to enable this. Member States must be given the courage to take this step forward”, he said. In the certain belief that the transition is an opportunity, he said: “this must be reflected in the MFF”.
A change to the unanimity rule? Iratxe García Pérez (S&D, Spain) welcomed the agreement on the climate neutrality goal “despite the resistance of one Member State”. This resistance should lead to reflection “at a time when we are talking about changing the unanimity rules”, she said.
Given that the European Council was held while COP25 was stalling in Madrid, Ska Keller (Greens-EFA) suggested that next year, “the Heads of State should go to COP26 in Glasgow and show how much importance they attach to climate protection, if indeed they do”.
Gerolf Annemans (ID, Belgium) attacked Charles Michel violently, criticising him for leaving the Belgian government “in order to sign the Marrakech Pact” and stating that as President of the European Council, “he will not be a unifier, but will cause political chaos”. These words provoked outrage.
“The attack by the far right brings us closer to you”, said Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL, Greece). He called for action to ensure that “the European Council stops obstructing what the European Parliament and citizens are asking for” and that money goes where it belongs, “otherwise the European Green Deal will be no more than empty rhetoric”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)