Whether it is the circular economy, biodiversity restoration or climate, the Member States’ climate and environment ministers want to help leading green companies from all sectors to take advantage of their pioneering position to make the green transition a success and contribute to the long-term competitiveness of the European economy.
Two days of exchanges with leaders of pioneering companies, SMEs or multinationals, invited to the informal ministerial session of the Environment Council of the EU, which ended on Wednesday 19 April in Stockholm (see EUROPE 13164/5,13162/2), allowed for the listening of their needs in order to promote their optimal contribution to the objectives of the EU’s Green Industrial Plan and the European Green Deal.
According to the Swedish Minister for Climate and Environment, Romina Pourmokhtari, who chaired the session, “these very fruitful exchanges, in an innovative format”, recognised “the central role of these companies in implementing the EU’s objectives”.
Sharing their experiences on the obstacles they face and on successful business models helped to identify the enabling conditions for sustainable results, for the “sustainability of competitiveness”.
Encouraging the circular economy, an urgency. The Swedish minister expressed a sense of urgency to increase the ambition for the circular economy, meaning to have “more economic incentives, more circular materials, and an environment that is favourable for circular material flows in our economy”.
Other success factors she cited were: - facilitating access to skills and knowledge; - developing infrastructure as a key factor in increasing the resilience of societies; - more efficient authorisation (permit) procedures; - collaboration and transparency of data from producers to recyclers; - an increase and improvement in public/private partnerships to promote sustainable development in our companies, “because the Green Deal is a pact, a contract, it is not charity”.
All ministers share a desire to compete in an economy based on fossil fuel-free products, added the current President of the EU ‘Environment’ Council.
On the sidelines of the session, Belgian Minister Zaka Khattabi, taking the example of Belgian materials technology company Umicore International, stressed that “companies often move faster than policy makers”, which makes her confident about the future.
The EU Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, called the Recovery and Resilience Facility “essential to mobilise public and private funds” and stressed the importance of “sending the right price signals in the marketplace”, as many companies feel penalised by their investments.
He also called on ministers to finalise an ambitious agreement in June on the proposed ‘Ecodesign for Sustainable Products’ regulation (see EUROPE 13164/6) – “the centrepiece” of the circular economy in the EU, which will be “crucial”.
The circularity of plastic packaging was the subject of a ministerial discussion at lunch – one of the most important aspects, the Commissioner stressed.
On his return from the G7 meeting in Sapporo (Japan), he recalled that the ministers of the major powers had recently agreed on a new target for eliminating plastic pollution by 2040. The future international treaty, which is being negotiated to be legally binding, will provide “a global level playing field”, Mr Sinkevičius stressed.
Moving forward to respect biodiversity. On this other priority of the Swedish Presidency, discussed at the end of the session in Stockholm, Ms Pourmokthari said that “industry can, should and will move in a more nature-friendly direction”.
The discussions highlighted the importance of the economic value of biodiversity in many vital sectors of the economy, from food to tourism.
The European Commissioner reiterated the importance of adopting the proposal for a regulation on nature restoration during this legislature (see EUROPE 13148/15). He argued that all economic activities depend on ecosystems and that healthy ecosystems maximise production opportunities.
The day before, ministers and business leaders also discussed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which the G7 committed to its full and rapid implementation (see EUROPE 13163/12).
Priorities also for the future Spanish Presidency. On the sidelines of the session, the Spanish minister, Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, whose country will hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council in July, said that the transformation of the production system cannot take place without the full commitment of industry and business.
She stated her intention “to accelerate change with the new framework for strategic autonomy that the Commission is putting into place”.
Responding to a question on the revision of the REACH regulation on chemicals, she expressed concern about the Commission’s delay and stressed the importance of restoring “a healthier globalisation of trade”.
Biodiversity and the restoration of ecosystems will “also be a priority” for Spain as head of the EU Council. Ms Ribera Rodriguez expressed the hope that the EU Council “can find a common position before the end of the Swedish Presidency so that work can be accelerated by the end of the year”. (Aminata Niang avec Nithya Paquiry)