On Friday 28 June, environmental organisations voiced their disappointment at the lack of ambition in the 2024-2029 strategic agenda adopted by the European Council on Thursday 27 June (see EUROPE 13441/1).
Greenpeace has criticised the document compiling the EU27’s political priorities for the next 5 years. “The plan endorsed by the EU summit shows that cosying up to corporate billionaires for political survival is what many politicians are interested in. Failing to act in the next 5 years on the climate and nature crisis will drive insecurity, increase costs and threaten our children’s future”, Ariadna Rodrigo accused the organisation in a press release.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) was disappointed and felt that the strategic agenda “barely mentions” environmental issues. It notes only the following statement by European leaders: “We will continue to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems, including the oceans”, addressing environmental protection. On behalf of the organisation, Ilaria Di Silvestre felt that the approved document prioritised economic competitiveness at the expense of environmental protection. In her view, the EU27 should have announced specific actions, such as the implementation of the 2030 biodiversity strategy.
There was a more nuanced response from WWF, noting that the strategic agenda underlines the importance of the green transition for European prosperity and competitiveness, and reaffirms the objective of climate neutrality by 2050. “With the recent adoption of legislation on nature restoration, [the EU27] have also committed to continuing to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. These commitments send strong signals to the European Commission”, said the organisation in a press release, arguing that “the emphasis placed by leaders on the resilience of oceans and water must now be followed by action”.
However, the WWF points out that the strategic agenda calls for “reducing the bureaucratic and regulatory burden and reforming administrative procedures, including the granting of permits”. These objectives must not lead to a weakening of environmental standards, the organisation stressed.
Competitiveness. On economic issues, other organisations will be paying particular attention to the financing of industrial policy.
“European competitiveness is at the heart of this agenda. But if we want to maintain it, we need to ensure that investment reaches European industries”, commented Charlotte Gjedde, policy adviser at the Confederation of Danish Industry. European companies are looking for “predictability through investment and policy”, said Linda Kalcher, executive director of the Strategic Perspectives think-tank, in a press release.
The private sector has also long called for a reduction in the regulatory burden in the EU, a priority that is clearly on the strategic agenda.
Digital. Among the players and lobbies in the digital sector, there was relatively little reaction to the European Council’s strategic agenda.
France Digitale, which represents dozens of start-ups, referred to the “encouraging statements” made by the European Council in a press release. The organisation notes with interest the willingness of European leaders to implement capital markets union, which is necessary to obtain the financing that European technology companies need “in an increasingly competitive world”. Although it is disappointed in the lack of concrete proposals at this stage, it is optimistic for the future.
Cohesion. The European Committee of the Regions also welcomed the fact that the Strategic Agenda recognises the importance of “economic, social and territorial cohesion” as an essential component of the European Union’s integrity.
“To deliver on the ambitions of the Strategic Agenda, such as the provision of quality services, preparedness for natural disasters and health emergencies, cross-border infrastructures and support our rural communities, we need to ensure a strong and renovated cohesion policy covering all regions, and based on reinforced provisions on multilevel governance”, said the president of the European body, Vasco Alves Cordeiro, in a press release.
Democracy. In terms of fundamental values, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes the priority given to press freedom and the fight against disinformation by the European Council for the next 5 years.
“It is very good news” seeing these principles included in the priorities for action of the EU heads of state or government “especially as press freedom and the role of platforms were not mentioned in the previous strategic agenda”, said Antoine Bernard on behalf of the organisation in a press release. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion, Léa Marchal, Isalia Stieffatre)