While the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry (ITRE) adopted its opinion on the 2040 climate target, on Wednesday 5 November, the draft opinion prepared by the Committee on Transport (TRAN) was rejected.
These two voting sessions come on the very day that the EU Council reached agreement on amending the European Climate Law to insert into it an interim target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 (see other news).
The ITRE Committee’s opinion, tabled by Niels Fuglsang (S&D, Danish), was supported by the Renew Europe, S&D, The Left and Greens/EFA groups, as well as part of the EPP, with 48 votes in favour, 34 against and 6 abstentions. It advocates a domestic emissions reduction target of 90% compared with 1990 levels, and allows the inclusion of international carbon credits for up to 3% of the target, as initially supported by the Commission.
The ITRE Committee’s opinion will be submitted to the Committee on Environment (ENVI), which is responsible for the file, but is not obliged to take account of this opinion.
The report in the TRAN Committee, tabled by Virginijus Sinkevičius (Greens/EFA, Lithuanian), was rejected by 20 votes to 22 with 3 abstentions, taking up the European Commission’s original proposal and focusing on specific issues relating to transport and tourism. The EPP, ECR, ESN and PfE groups rejected this opinion. The Christian Democrats were banking in particular on a reduced target of an 80% emissions reduction.
The much anticipated vote in the ENVI Committee is scheduled for 10 November (see EUROPE 13730/34) and will be followed by a vote in plenary on 13 November. With the Member States having adopted their position (‘general approach’) on 5 November, MEPs will need to adopt their position quickly in order to start interinstitutional negotiations with the EU Council.
“If things go well, there could be a de facto agreement before COP30. Of course, this works only if the Parliament supports the figures along the same lines as the Council”, explained Pascal Canfin, coordinator for the Renew Europe group on the ENVI Committee. According to our information, the EPP could align itself with the compromise prepared by the Council. The Greens/EFA, who have been very active on the subject, deemed the level of ambition to be insufficient. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)