EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ENCOUNTERS HURDLES ON CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION VOTES

During the Plenary Session taking place in Strasbourg on 8 June, the MEPs voted on several files correlated with the Fit for 55 legislative package - the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030. The MEPs from opposite sides of the political groups came into disagreement on several measures, delaying the progress of the legislative package.  

The Emissions Trading System (ETS) reform on its expansion and revision was referred back to the competent committee (Environment, Public Health and Food Safety) after Parliament rejected the final report by 340 votes to 265, with 34 abstentions, whilst the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was referred back to committee ahead of the votes on the amendments. As for the Social Climate Fund legislation, the final vote was adjourned pending political agreement on the future of the ETS reform, with the MEPs refusing to adopt positions on the reform of the EU’s carbon market and the introduction of a carbon border tax. 

The MEPs however managed to agree to back the final report to mandate that all new car and van sales should be zero emissions from 2035 as part of efforts to clean up road transport, with the final legal text to be worked out in talks with the Council and on a proposed law to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve natural carbon sinks in the land use, land use change and forestry sectors (LULUCF) with 472 votes for, 124 against and 22 abstentions. 

These measures will have major impact on various sectors, including energy, transport and infrastructure. The EOC EU Office will follow closely the development of these files and its impact on the sports sector as it fundamentally overhauls the EU’s climate policy framework.