New rules to introduce national energy and climate plans were adopted by MEPs today. The plans are intended to help Member States keep on track with their 2030 climate and energy commitments, as well as to ensure they are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

New rules to introduce national energy and climate plans
were adopted by MEPs today.

These integrated national plans will include targets and policy measures to help reduce emission and also improve energy efficiency and security and bolster the internal energy market. The plans must be submitted by Member States by 31^st December 2019, and then every ten years after, and will be regularly reviewed at national and EU level. The intention is to help Member States keep on track with their 2030 climate and energy commitments, as well as to ensure they are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Speaking after the vote, ECR Czech MEP Evžen Tošenovský, who followed the proposals for the Group, said:

“We need to be realistic about how we implement the commitments made under the EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets. Member States should have the freedom to innovate and find the best ways to reduce their emissions. Targets that are too prescriptive, with onerous reporting requirements risk derailing Member States from the overall goal, which is to to be in line with the Paris Agreement in the most cost-effective way.

“The agreement reached with Council has toned down the worst excesses of the parliament’s proposals, which in our view attempted to make the EU’s targets even more ambitious via. the backdoor. This would have been bad for governments, and bad for taxpayers.”