A group of 102 MEPs sent a joint letter to the European Commission on Tuesday 15 March asking it to withdraw its draft complementary delegated act on the European Union’s taxonomy, given the need to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian fossil gas.
“Withdrawing the Delegated Act will increase the focus of investments on truly sustainable energy sources and thereby increase our energy independency”, the signatories say, while pointing out that the Union’s dependence on Russian gas “funds Putin’s war”.
Presented by the Commission in early February, the delegated act provides for the inclusion of fossil gas and nuclear energy in the taxonomy - a classification system to determine whether an economic activity is considered environmentally sustainable in order to guide private investment - as “transitional” activities (see EUROPE 12882/1).
Parliament, which has four months to oppose the text (until 11 July), is divided on the issue, particularly since the war in Ukraine, which has highlighted the need for the EU to move away from its energy dependence on Russia.
For the signatories, “maintaining the Delegated Act (...) will only further increase our dependency on gas and our reliance on Russian imports” and “would undermine the effectiveness of the REPowerEU plan” aimed at strengthening the Union’s energy independence (see EUROPE 12911/11).
“In the new light of the war in Ukraine, it’s completely clear that gas is no bridge technology for the climate”, added Michael Bloss (Greens/EFA, Germany) on Wednesday 16 March, in an online interview with some journalists.
He also expressed confidence that a motion to object to the delegated act could be supported by a majority of all Members of Parliament.
While Parliament can ask for a two-month extension of the review period, this is less likely, according to Mr Bloss, as it would push the vote past the summer recess.
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/se (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)