On Monday, 19 October, the German EU Council Presidency put a fourth draft compromise on the 'Climate Law' on the table, proposing that the Member States reach a political agreement (“general approach”) at the meeting of EU Environment Ministers on Friday. This agreement would cover all elements of the ‘Climate Law’, except the new EU climate target for 2030.
After a first discussion last week, the 27 Heads of State or Government of the Member States agreed to return to the issue of raising the EU's 2030 target for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, on 10 and 11 December (see EUROPE 12582/2).
“The Presidency considers that [...] the new climate target for 2030 should remain in square brackets until the political decision is taken”, says the document forwarded by Berlin to the national delegations.
It goes on to add: “Excluding the question of the 2030 target, the Presidency considers that the current Presidency compromise proposal strikes a fair balance and that there is considerable support among delegations for reaching a partial General Approach at the upcoming meeting of the Council (Environment)”.
Problem areas
Nevertheless, the document points out a few issues that remain problematic, in particular the question of the implementation of the EU's climate objectives.
Some Member States would therefore like the text of the ‘Climate Law’ to place greater emphasis on the importance of putting in place a framework that encompasses adequate instruments, incentives, support measures and investments to ensure a cost-effective, just, equitable and socially balanced transition, taking into account the different starting points of countries.
Some delegations also maintain their wish to include in the draft compromise that climate neutrality should be achieved not only at EU level but also by each country of the Union individually, and that the EU should strive to achieve negative emissions after 2050.
Finally, other Member States regret that the compromise proposal does not provide for the setting of intermediate targets at five-year intervals.
Despite these difficulties, Berlin believes that the EU Council can find a compromise “that will address the remaining concerns [...] without upsetting the overall balance of the text”.
The Presidency is thus proposing no significant changes to its third draft compromise (see EUROPE 12579/10).
Adopting a partial general approach on Friday would allow the EU institutions to start inter-institutional negotiations (‘trilogues’) quickly, leaving the 2030 target on the back burner, to give themselves a better chance of reaching a final agreement on the whole ‘Climate Law’ package before the end of the year.
The European Parliament adopted its position on 7 October (see EUROPE 12577/12).
See the draft compromise from the German Presidency: https://bit.ly/34h8A61 (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)