EU budget more sustainable than ever

| 13.04.2012

For the first time ever decarbonisation is an explicit goal of the next EU budget, which runs from 2014 to 2020. The European Commission wants climate-related actions to receive 20% of the total EU budget (€1 trillion), to be able to change the face of the European energy system and thus sow the seeds for a decarbonised economy in 2050. This is in line with what is aimed in the White Paper on transport 2011: a reduction of carbon emissions in transport by 60% by 2050. Also with the EU 2020 strategy, which has five headline targets, one of which is climate and energy related. Currently only an estimated 5% of the budget is going to climate change related goals.

Much discussion is still going on about which projects and programmes should be funded with the proposed budget for climate-related activities. Moreover, there’s a question over what projects and programmes will actually benefit the climate. So far there is no indication about what projects might make it onto the priority list.

 

The discussion about the EU budget for the period 2014 to 2020 is now entering a crucial phase. The Member States of the EU will have a final say on the budget and they will in the end decide how the money is spent and if Europe will continue to be the frontrunner when it comes to ‘green’ policies. A final agreement on the budget is expected by the end of this year.