It is hard to imagine that the EU's 27 Heads of State or Government will agree to raise the EU's climate target for 2030 at the European Council on 10-11 December if they do not also reach agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, a senior EU diplomat said on Monday 7 December.
According to him, the issue of the new 2030 climate target is indeed dependent on the next EU budget, as the EU's ability to support Member States in their ecological transition will partly depend on this budget. He mentioned the Just Transition Fund.
On the other hand, if the MFF hurdle is overcome, I think there is a “fair chance” that European leaders will reach an agreement, the diplomat said.
In mid-October, the EU27 agreed to re-discuss in December the possibility of raising the EU's emission reduction target to ‘at least 55%’ by 2030 (see EUROPE 12582/2).
But the deadlock on the EU Recovery Plan and the MFF 2021-2027 have been added to the leaders' agenda following the recent Polish and Hungarian deadlock on these dossiers (see EUROPE 12602/1). (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)