08/02/2023 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 8 February, the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU approved the reform of the EU Emissions Trading System, ETS. Twenty-three Member States approved the reform, which was the subject of an institutional agreement in mid-December 2022 (see EUROPE 13087/4). Belgium and Bulgaria abstained, and Poland and Hungary are reserving their decisions for the vote in the EU Council. The European Parliament’s Committee on Environment is due to vote on the reform on Thursday, and is expected to vote in favour of it. According to European Parliament rapporteur Peter Liese (EPP, German), the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA, The Left and ECR negotiators supported the compromise. “Even if the parliamentary groups are not all completely united, I expect a clear majority”, he explained in a statement. (CG)