“By a large majority on Tuesday, the European Parliament voted in favour of the agreement on REPowerEU which includes a first time intervention in the EU’s emissions trading system that will mean that prices will not rise too sharply in the short term,” announced Dr. Peter Liese, environmental policy spokesman of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats). Last spring, the European Commission had presented a proposal called REPowerEU, which aims at mobilising financial resources so that the Member States become less dependent on Russian gas and oil. For example, installations for renewable energies, electricity grids, energy efficiency measures but also LNG infrastructure are to be financed. Existing financial resources will be used for this purpose, topped up by 20 billion € of additional funds from EU emissions trading. 8 billion EUR will be made available from the ETS through so-called frontloading, an earlier auctioning of allowances. In addition, 12 billion EUR will be re-allocated from the European Innovation Fund. The withdrawal of the required amount of allowances will be compensated by the transfer of 27 million CO2 allowances from the market stability reserve (between 2.2 and 2.7 billion EUR at a CO2 reserve of 80 or 100 EUR).
On Wednesday, the Committee of the Permanent Representatives approved the reform of European emissions trading system with a very clear majority. 23 states agreed. Belgium and Bulgaria abstained. Only two Member States reserve their final political decision for the final vote in the Council (Poland and Hungary). "I am very happy about this clear result and I assume that the vote in the Environment Committee tomorrow, Thursday, will be just as clear. The negotiators of all pro-European parties (EPP, Social Democrats, Renew and Greens) as well as the Left and the conservative ECR supported the compromise. Even if the parliamentary groups are not all completely united, I expect a clear majority," explained Peter Liese, rapporteur for the reform of the EU ETS. "It is the biggest climate protection law of all time and by 2030 we will save 25 times as much CO2 as with the controversial regulation on CO2 cars (ban on the internal combustion engine). Anyone who has a good idea and saves CO2 or brings corresponding products to the market, will benefit. We cannot and should not decide all the details in Brussels, but rather set no limits to the creativity of the 440 million Europeans," said Liese, who is also spokesperson for environmental policy of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats).
Read more: Member States support largest climate protection law of all time
“I am very happy that the biggest climate law ever has received such broad support in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee”, said Peter Liese, rapporteur on the revision of the European emissions trading system. A huge majority (75%, 57 +, 13 -, 6 o) supported the proposal that has been negotiated before Christmas between the European Parliament represented by the Rapporteur Peter Liese, the European Council represented by the Czech Presidency and the European Commission represented by Vice-President Frans Timmermans. “We will save 1.500 million tonnes CO2 what is why the ETS is the cornerstone of our climate policy until 2030. With this legislation alongside with the other parts of the Fit for 55 package we will over-achieve our 55% target. We are much more climate-friendly than the United States even with the IRA. That is a good step for the climate. The United States will not achieve their own 50% target which is because of the per capita emissions much less ambitious than the European target. The United States will emit at least 2.5 times more per capita in 2030 than the European Union,” said Peter Liese.
Read more: ETS Reform supported by huge majority in European Parliament’s Environment Committee
On Tuesday, the Health and Environment Committee coordinators in the European Parliament decided to cover the Commission's proposal to amend the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in an urgent procedure. This means the proposal could be voted on as early as the mid-February plenary session.
"It is fast now, and it has to be because human lives are at stake. For months, we have been pushing the European Commission to come up with a proposal to amend the Medical Devices Regulation - now we have it. With the urgent procedure, we could already do the final vote on it in the plenary session in February. This is essential to keep medical devices, especially devices for children, in the market," explained the health policy spokesperson of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP-Christian Democrats), Peter Liese.
Read more: Medical Device Regulation enters via urgent procedure