In its memorandum to the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, the citizens’ network the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) explained on 22 December that the Belgian Presidency will have a crucial responsibility to finalise the European Green Deal before the European elections in June.
“Time is ticking for Europe’s green agenda, as much will need to be done before the March cut-off”, said the EEB in a press release.
The EEB reviewed the “mixed results” of the Spanish Presidency and the year 2023, which saw “an unprecedented onslaught by far right ideologues and influential lobbyists who sought to actively undermine Europe’s green agenda”, regretting the abandonment or reduction of ambitions on certain key dossiers such as the regulation on nature restoration (see EUROPE 13303/30) and the regulation on packaging and packaging waste (see EUROPE 13316/5).
The citizens’ network therefore considers it imperative for the Belgian Presidency to bring the negotiations between EU institutions to a successful conclusion, “given the looming risk of a less progressive Parliament following the June elections”.
The EEB particularly welcomed the Belgian Presidency’s commitment to three specific priorities: the circular economy, resilience to climate change and the just transition.
“In 2024, delivering the Green Deal and putting in place a renewed agenda of hope is essential – not just to deliver on promises and address the triple climate, biodiversity and pollution crises, but to embrace the many opportunities for transformative action”, said EEB Secretary General Patrick ten Brink.
To see the EEB memorandum: https://aeur.eu/f/aak (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)