Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The EPP Group wants the Green Deal to be a European success story. Europe’s effort to reduce carbon emissions must be designed to bring innovation, security, strengthen competitiveness and both safeguard and create European jobs. This is the line the EPP Group will pursue in today’s debate and tomorrow’s vote on the laws related to the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) in the so-called Fit for 55 package.
“We want de-carbonisation, not de-industrialisation. By trading emission allowances, instead of bans and interdictions, we set incentives and reward those who reduce CO2 emissions. For example, we want the companies that make an effort to decarbonise to be rewarded with additional free allowances to cover their investment costs. On the other hand, we want the companies that do zero or little effort to decarbonise to pay a higher bill in the next years”, explained Peter Liese MEP, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator on the EU ETS.
“The energy transition will only succeed if all Europeans can make the transition, not only the ‘happy few’ who can afford it. This is why we need a Social Climate Fund (SCF), which will be one of the tools to ensure everyone is able to make the energy transition and stop dependency on Russian gas and oil”, said Esther de Lange MEP and David Casa MEP, the European Parliament’s lead co-negotiators on the SCF.
“We want the new mechanism at the external borders of the EU to protect European companies from unfair competition by climate-polluters from other parts of the world. We cannot agree to phase out old mechanisms, the allocation of free emission allowances, until the new mechanism proves it works”, noted Adam Jarubas MEP, the EPP Group’s main negotiator on the new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
“In the midst of the Russian war in Ukraine and the related energy crisis, we want European companies across sectors to get ‘breathing space’ to ensure they can focus on implementing the new Fit for 55 requirements. To achieve this, we want to postpone other planned new rules that would unnecessarily increase costs for businesses already under strain, such as new rules concerning chemicals, food and waste”, concluded Christian Ehler MEP, the EPP Group’s Spokesman on the Industry Committee.
