On Thursday 2 April, two MEPs from the ECR group who had requested an opinion from the European Parliament's legal service, announced that opinion, stating that the European Commission's willingness to decide, by means of delegated acts, the path to be followed after 2030 to achieve climate neutrality for the European Union is incompatible with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
This innovation had been submitted by the European Commission in its proposal for climate law, the flagship legislation of the European Green Deal (see EUROPE 12438/3).
“The Commission is trying to act beyond its mandate. It is important that the impact on legislation is determined not only by the European Commission, but also by the Member States and MEPs who have been elected by their citizens”, said Czech MEP Alexandr Vondra, who negotiated the legislation for the sovereignist group.
His Polish colleague Anna Zalewska, who was the co-initiator of the legal opinion, added: “What we need now is a discussion among the Commission, the Parliament, and the European Council about the EU’s emissions targets and find a realistic way forward that does not undermine the Union’s Treaties”.
Last week, the ECR Group had called for the postponement of the European Green Deal initiatives. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)