The Environment Ministers of the European Union Member States for the most part expressed their support for the draft compromise on the revision of the EU Climate Effort Sharing Regulation (2018/842) on Tuesday 28 June at a meeting in Luxembourg to finalise five dossiers of the ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package on the climate.
This regulation sets national targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 that are not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) nor by the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry Regulation (LULUCF).
These are mainly emissions from road transport, the heating of buildings, agriculture, small industrial installations and waste management.
Combined, the national targets will lead to a 40% reduction in EU emissions by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels) in the sectors covered by the ESR, according to the European Commission’s proposal (see EUROPE 12762/2).
In order for EU countries to meet their target and thus contribute to the collective effort, binding annual limits, expressed in emission allowances, are set for each Member State and are gradually reduced until 2030.
The targets set by the Commission range from a 10% reduction in emissions (Bulgaria) to a 50% reduction (Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, Denmark, Sweden).
These ‘national contributions’ and the EU-wide target (-40%) are maintained in the French Presidency’s draft agreement (‘general approach’).
In particular, the text provides for an adjustment in 2025 of the linear emissions trajectory for the period 2026-2030 and reinforces the flexibilities left to Member States (for more details see EUROPE 12970/5).
Some Member States with high targets, such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Belgium, complained about a lack of convergence between the national targets set out in the compromise. Others, on the contrary, felt that their target was already very ambitious (Slovenia, Poland, Bulgaria, Latvia), criticising a lack of consideration of national circumstances and cost-effectiveness. “We will not be able to accept a strengthening of the convergence provision”, Bulgaria warned. Denmark also called for the ESR not to be extended beyond 2030, deeming its architecture “obsolete”.
Despite broad support from Member States, ministers had not been able to reach an agreement (‘general approach’) on this text at the time of going to press, due to continuing divisions over other topics in the ‘Fit for 55’ package submitted for approval the same day. The French Presidency has indeed chosen to treat the five topics as a whole in order to keep the package coherent (see EUROPE 12981/1). (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)