The EU27 environment ministers will meet at the ‘Environment’ Council on Thursday 27 March in Brussels. In particular, they will be discussing the ‘Clean Industrial Deal’, the role of the European Union in global environmental policies, the conclusions of COP16 on biodiversity and the environmental consequences of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Clean Industrial Deal. The ministers will discuss the environmental dimension, which is expected to make decarbonisation a growth driver for European industries (see EUROPE 13588/1).
The challenge will be to promote the EU’s competitiveness through decarbonisation and the maintenance of climate neutrality objectives. To achieve this, the EU will need to ensure the predictability of its environmental instruments for European businesses, as the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU has pointed out.
The circular economy will be one of the solutions discussed on Thursday. It is one of the levers identified for creating an attractive investment environment, including access to affordable energy.
While the transition to a circular economy is still hampered by bottlenecks in the markets for circular products and materials, the Clean Industrial Deal proposes the adoption of a Circular Economy Act, the creation of a ‘European Centre for Critical Raw Materials’ and the establishment of Trans-Regional Circularity Hubs.
The future legislative package on chemicals could also be added to the discussion, warned the Polish Presidency.
Global environmental policies. Following complex negotiations at the COP16 on biodiversity in Cali (see EUROPE 13517/15) and for the ‘Plastics Treaty’ at the end of 2024 in Busan (see EUROPE 13536/14), the ministers will discuss with Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the role that the EU and its Member States can play in promoting more ambitious environmental policies.
The ministers will be focusing on the resumption of negotiations for an international treaty against plastic pollution, in Geneva from 5 to 14 August. The introduction of ambitious measures to reduce the production of plastic polymers and to ban and restrict chemicals of concern in plastic products will be at the heart of the debate (see EUROPE 13600/3).
COP16. The Polish Presidency and the European Commission will be taking stock of the negotiations that were held in Rome in February for COP16 on biodiversity, following the failure in Cali.
In Rome on 27 February, the parties had agreed on financing and monitoring measures for the implementation of global biodiversity goals and targets (see EUROPE 13590/4). On the other hand, the EU is opposed to the creation of a new financing mechanism, as called for by developing countries. The discussion has been postponed until the COP18.
Ukraine. The Ukrainian Minister for Environmental Protection and Natural Resources will inform ministers of the environmental consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine during a public session.
Agriculture. At lunch, the European environment ministers will discuss support for farmers in protecting the environment, as part of the Vision for Agriculture and Food.
Other items on the agenda. The ministers will also discuss mechanisms for stabilising allowance prices in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), on which France intends to share information.
Italy is also expected to call for “more effective” implementation of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), to support a “more competitive European industry”. (Original version in French by Florent Servia with Nithya Paquiry)