The European Commission will postpone the presentation of the second delegated act on the treatment of fossil gas and nuclear energy in the European Union’s taxonomy, the European Commissioner for Financial Services, Mairead McGuinness, told the Financial Times on Wednesday 20 October.
“We don’t have a ready-made solution because this is, both technically but politically . . . one of those issues where you have very divided views”, the Commissioner was quoted by the British newspaper as saying.
Stressing that the closer the end of the year comes, the more “pressure there will be to resolve this issue”, Ms McGuinness said, adding that the delegated act could be pushed back to 2022, when it was expected before the end of the year.
She also said that possible compromises included the creation of a label for activities that do not qualify for the EU’s green taxonomy, but which would ensure their place in the European Union’s transition and not discourage private sector investment.
The Commission would also consider the possibility of redefining the so-called “transitional” activities within the taxonomy.
According to an EU official, the issue of taxonomy is expected to be raised by some of the Member States’ heads of state or government on Thursday at the European Council (see other news), although the topic is not on the summit’s agenda. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)