The French Minister for Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, stressed the importance of maintaining the overall ambition and coherence of the climate legislation package proposed by the European Commission in July 2021 (‘Fit for 55 package’), on Wednesday 26 January, during a debate with MEPs on the six-month priorities of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the field of environment and climate.
Her wish: to make determined progress in the negotiations on as many elements of the ‘Fit for 55’ package as possible by the ministerial meetings in June (‘EU Energy Council’ on the 27th and EU ‘Environment Council’ on the 28th), in order to enable the EU to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
Ambitious, Ms Pompili does not intend to spare any effort. “We will increase our efforts to make real progress and, if possible, reach compromises on all the texts”, she said.
In addition to maintaining coherence, the second principle that will guide the French Presidency’s action on climate and the environment is that of a just transition, “a sine qua non for the success of decarbonisation”.
The minister then mentioned the importance of establishing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism at the EU’s borders (CBAM) while respecting the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and of making progress on the preservation of biodiversity, notably by preparing the COP15 in Kunming (China).
In order to make progress on biodiversity at EU level, the French Presidency is waiting, with great interest, for the European Commission’s proposal on ecosystem restoration, said Ms Pompili.
The negotiation of the regulation on imported deforestation is also a priority for Paris, as is the generalisation of the circular economy.
On this last point, the minister mentioned the regulation on batteries, in order to “ensure that the EU very quickly acquires the best world standards in terms of the production of green and sustainable batteries”. She hopes to reach a political agreement between the Member States (general approach) at the Environment Council of the EU on 17 March.
She also wants to make progress on the regulation of cross-border waste shipment. The minister promised as well to launch discussions on the Sustainable Products legislative package as soon as it is published by the Commission (scheduled for 5 April, according to the provisional agenda).
Ms Pompili also stressed the need to ensure a healthier environment, whether it be chemicals, air pollutants, waste water or waste management. The French Presidency of the EU Council will start discussions on all these subjects in accordance with the Commission’s legislative timetable, she guaranteed.
Finally, she said that reducing the use of pesticides, by implementing the objectives of both the EU’s ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy and the biodiversity strategy, was also one of the Presidency’s priorities. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)