Council approves with qualified majority

Most cost-effective way to protect the climate: everyone with a good idea benefits / Greater attention to social criteria when using funds

The biggest climate law of all times has finally been adopted. After the successful vote in the  European Parliament last Tuesday with a majority of over 70%, also the Member States voted in favour today with a qualified majority by 23 Member States (Poland and Hungary against, Belgium and Bulgaria abstained). Peter Liese, environment spokesperson of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats), said: “Emissions trading is the most cost-effective way to protect our climate. The extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and storms show that we urgently need to act. At the same time, we have specifically made sure that jobs in energy-intensive industries are protected and that low-income groups of the population are not left behind in the transition."

Peter Liese, who is also rapporteur for emissions trading in the European Parliament, emphasised that there is special need for improvement in this respect: “In the agreement we made sure that all of the funds that Member States that generate through the ETS is used for climate, jobs and social issues. Even in Member States like Germany where the money is already used quite in a targeted way, there are still improvements to be made. Especially the socially disadvantaged must receive more support across Europe according to the clear criteria we fixed in the Social Climate Fund and for the remaining revenues. And this not only includes unemployed or retired people with small pensions, but also hard-working people, especially families, who are already challenged by the high costs.”
subsidy half a year after the craftsmen have invoiced you. That has to change in any case".