The EU Member States’ environment and/or climate ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Monday 16 October, have, on their agenda, preparations for COP28 and two legislative texts from the European Green Deal- the reduction of CO2 emissions from heavy goods vehicles and the revision of the directive on urban wastewater treatment - on which the Spanish Presidency is hoping for a political agreement (‘general approach’) from the EU Council.
The EU’s laborious transition to a circular economy will also be on the agenda at this session, which will be chaired by the Spanish Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera.
COP28. As part of the preparations for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the European Union’s environment ministers are preparing to endorse the EU Council’s conclusions. The conference will take place in Dubai in less than 2 months’ time, and these conclusions will establish the EU’s official negotiating position for this important meeting.
The main topics for discussion will include a review of international efforts on climate change, the strategic framework for climate change mitigation, global ambitions for adaptation, and financial mechanisms dedicated to climate action, including how to tackle the problem of loss and damage caused by climate change.
Nationally Determined Contribution by the EU. The ministers will also be asked to approve the EU’s submission of its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC. These contributions, which form an essential part of the Paris Agreement, set out each party’s post-2020 climate action commitments. They detail the measures taken by each nation to reduce its emissions and adjust to the effects of climate change. The EU submits an NDC jointly for all its Member States.
CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles. The ministers will also work to reach a consensus on the proposal to amend the regulations on CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles (see EUROPE 13121/1). The aim is to strengthen Europe’s ambitions for reducing emissions from road transport by adjusting the targets for 2030 and setting new targets for 2035 and 2040. The proposal also suggests extending the category of vehicles concerned to include buses and trailers, while stipulating that all new city buses should be ‘net zero’.
Wastewater treatment. The ministers will hold a further debate on the proposal to modernise Directive 91/271/EEC, this time with a view to reaching an agreement on the position of the EU Council.
This directive was proposed in October 2022 to reduce water pollution by nutrients and microplastics and to aim for energy neutrality in wastewater treatment plants through the production of biogas (see EUROPE 13051/2). During a political debate in March, it was met with scepticism by many countries concerned about the cost of the investment required and the novelty of introducing a system of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics (see EUROPE 13144/4).
The compromise proposed by the Spanish Presidency, which introduces flexibility, should be able to win the support of a qualified majority of Member States, given the temperature taken last week by the national ambassadors.
In addition to the postponement of the entire implementation timetable, the taking into account of national and local particularities and less stringent requirements for compensating the victims of pollution, some final adjustments have been made to ensure that the requirements are not too costly and to respond to the wish of several Member States that the principle of technological neutrality be taken into account. The compromise also provides for an increase in the population thresholds of the municipalities to which the water treatment obligations would apply.
If the EU Council decides on a general approach, negotiations with the European Parliament can begin. The latter has just adopted its position, also introducing flexibility, particularly for the outermost regions (see EUROPE 13265/22).
Circular Economy. Without debate, the EU Council will adopt conclusions supporting the need to speed up efforts to make progress in the transition to a circular economy by making production circular from the design stage onwards.
These conclusions are the response to the Court of Auditors’ highly critical special report, which in July pointed out that despite more than €10 billion of funds mobilised by the EU between 2015 and 2020 under the first Circular Economy Action Plan, the EU was virtually at a standstill and would therefore not be able to achieve its target of recycling twice as much material by 2030 under the second action plan (see EUROPE 13214/14).
Miscellaneous. The European Commission will present to ministers the recommendations to Member States, adopted on 9 October, to encourage consumers to return their small electronic appliances - used phones, tablets and laptops - in order to facilitate their return, repair and recycling and thus reduce the volume of waste (WEEE Directive) (see EUROPE 13267/14).
With an eye on the forthcoming trilogues with Parliament, the Commission will also present a progress report on the presentation of the updated national energy and climate plans.
The ministers will also be informed by the Commission of the proposed revision of Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (Annex IVc) concerning certain textile and footwear products and accessories covered by extended producer responsibility (https://aeur.eu/f/91y ). The Commission will inform ministers of the results of the Baltic Sea Conference (Lithuania, 29 September).
The Slovenian delegation will brief the ministers on the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23) to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution, to be held in Portorož (Slovenia, 4-8 December). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang and Nithya Paquiry)