Only four EU countries have submitted their long-term climate and energy plans on time, and the European Commission intends to remind them of this in informal ministerial meetings, Euractiv reports.
On 30 June, EU countries were legally required to submit their National Energy and Climate Plans 2030 (NECPs). These are key documents to assess whether the EU is meeting its climate targets.
Despite the deadline, “we only received four plans,” a European Commission spokesperson said on Monday. Countries that submitted documents on time included the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, which account for 8 per cent of the bloc’s emissions. The spokesperson also added:
“The Commission strongly urges all other member states to submit their Plans as soon as possible.”
Sending the plans to Brussels is a “legal obligation” for EU countries, the official said.
But the European Commission is hesitant to immediately sue them for breaching EU climate governance rules.
“As a first step”, the Commission plans to raise the issue “as a matter of urgency” with ministers at informal meetings of environment and energy ministers “to be held this month”, they added.
A full review of climate plans is seen as key for the Commission to understand whether the EU is on track with its climate targets and to give businesses more clarity on investments.
Whether France will present a plan that confirms Brussels’ demands is not yet known. Paris is in a constant standoff with Brussels over the role assigned to nuclear power.
The Austrian government is also unlikely to agree on a plan as elections are due in the autumn and the government is at odds after an unauthorised vote on an EU law on nature restoration.
