The European Commission today unveils the ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package following the approval of the European Climate Law in April, which enshrines in European legislation the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. at least 55% by 2030.
The package of 13 legislative proposals includes new policies and regulations covering areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, construction, land use and emissions trading systems.
The package is expected to contain amendments to existing laws (for example, amendments to the directive on energy taxation and CO2 regulation for vehicles) and proposed new legislation. That make the directive legally binding to achieve 32.5% energy savings by 2030.
Here are some of the measures that could be announced today, according to an EU observer:
- Making charging electric vehicles and refueling hydrogen for heavy vehicles as easy as refueling a traditional fuel vehicle – the EU has set a goal of one million charging points for electric vehicles by 2025 and three million by 2030;
- Tighter CO2 emission limits for cars and vans in the EU and a ban on new gasoline and diesel vehicles from 2035;
- The introduction of a tax on fossil fuels used in the aviation industry such as kerosene, oil and diesel, which will be gradually increased over ten years;
- Airlines will have to stock up on a variety of fuels when departing from European airports, which will include a 2% share of environmentally friendly aviation fuel from 2025, which will grow to 63% by 2050.
- It is also expected that the exemption from taxes on aviation fuel (kerosene) will end, and tax cuts will be applied to environmentally friendly fuels;
- For maritime transport, the new legislative proposal is expected to introduce “targets for the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions”;
- The EU is expected to raise its current energy efficiency target of 32.5% energy savings by 2030 and make it legally binding;
- Brussels to strengthen the “sustainability criteria” used to determine whether a certain forest biomass can be considered renewable, with a commitment to protect EU old growth forests;
- The EU should also present a forestry strategy that aims to plant three billion trees by 2030;
- Brussels will propose a new stand-alone emissions trading system for the construction and road sectors;
- Brussels wants to further discourage companies from relocating production to countries outside the EU with less stringent environmental regulations, preventing the phenomenon of “carbon leakage”;
- A border carbon emissions mechanism could be proposed, which has raised concerns in both the United States and China, which fear protectionist measures, and which aims to ensure that European companies are not affected by the new environmental standards that come into force. in a public space.
Following the submission of the package in question, a set of 13 legislative proposals will be submitted to the European Parliament and the EU Council, which represents all member states that will enter into inter-institutional negotiations to approve the package of measures, the process. this is expected to take several months.
