Position

Eurochambres recommendations on the ENVI Report on the European Climate Law

08/09/2020

The European Chambers of Commerce and Industry support ambitious climate protection measures, yet it is clear that they often represent significant challenges for the sectors and businesses concerned. In the current context of economic downturn, it is essential to provide the best possible support to achieve the necessary recovery and at the same time enable innovation and investment in climate and environmental protection.

EUROCHAMBRES support the target of climate neutrality by 2050. However, it is of the utmost importance that the measures taken are cost-efficient and follow the principle of technology neutrality. Economic viability has to be safeguarded and negative impacts for sectors exposed to international competition have to be minimised.

In addition, medium and long-term predictability and legal certainty are essential for businesses. The swift implementation of existing legislation and targets must be the top priority of lawmakers, also given that they are the basis for the integrated climate and energy plans. We are therefore very critical of any increase of the 2030 targets and are strongly against an increase beyond what was proposed by the European Commission. The economy needs realistic targets including a certain flexibility to react to changes and shocks. This is why we do not agree with the need for a pre-defined, binding target for 2040, neither in terms of a trajectory nor in terms of a greenhouse gas budget. In the same context, we are in favour of indicative decarbonisation roadmaps developed by the sectors.

With regards to the Covid-19-crisis we would like to highlight the importance to take its repercussions into consideration at a sufficiently granular level (i.e. sectoral level, member state and regional level) in an impact assessment. The regular assessments of member state actions and progress should equally take into account long-term impacts of Covid-19. The sustainable economic recovery must be at the core of climate action. It must be absolutely clear that the decreased economic activity and expected low emission levels of 2020 and 2021 cannot be the basis for an increased reduction goal for 2030.

Last but not least, in the interest of a swift political compromise we are in favour of a collective climate neutrality goal. The EU should not only aim to achieve its targets domestically but also by investing in emission abatement projects abroad. It should do so collectively, but should also allow for member states and corporates to do so as well.

Further information: Mr. Clemens Rosenmayr, Tel. +32 2 282 08 90,
Press contact: Ms. Karen Albuquerque, Tel. +32 2 282 08 62,