N-VA stunned by the European Commission’s green power grab

The N-VA is concerned about the Climate Law that is currently being discussed in the European Commission. The Commission appears to be wanting to grab for itself the power to impose climate targets on member states from on high. MEP Johan Van Overtveldt calls it a hold-up.

A good, but unsupported ambition

On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed its much talked about Climate Law. With it, it wants to legally anchor the target to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050 along with how to achieve it. MEP Johan Van Overtveldt is concerned. “It is positive that this framework indicates a direction, which can hopefully create certainty for investors. But the proposal above all concerns ambition in the long term, without there already being clarity about concrete measures in the short and medium-long term, because it lacks the necessary impact assessment for social and economic consequences. So there is ambition, but no foundation.”

Hold-up by the European Commission

The Commission is proposing implementing the path to climate neutrality as from 2030 via so-called “delegated acts”. That is extremely controversial, because by doing so the Commission is largely sidelining both the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. A perplexed Johan Van Overtveldt reacts: “This is a hold-up. The Commission seems to want to shy away from difficult discussions. Does the Commission think it can raise support for climate measures in the member states by indulging in politics behind closed doors and imposing everything from on high? That very much resembles the statements made by Commissioner Timmermans about the Green Deal. According to him, it will and must be pushed through, with or without financing. I strongly doubt whether these ‘delegated acts’ are valid legally. Our group intends to get legal advice in the matter from the services of the Parliament.”

Dangerous precedent

The N-VA also thinks that the European Climate Law sets a dangerous precedent: “The law gives the European Commission the competence to set interim targets via delegated acts so as to be climate-neutral in 2050. This pretty much sidelines the member states in an issue in which it is nevertheless important to have broad support.” The N-VA will question Prime Minister Wilmes on this in the Federal Parliament.

Looking at all solutions

The N-VA endorses the need for a sustainable transformation and the great urgency of global climate-related initiatives, Johan Van Overtveldt emphasises. “Flanders supports the target of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050 and has already announced in the Flemish Climate Strategy 2050 that it can itself contribute a reduction in CO2 of 85%.”

With an open mind

But the N-VA is striving to couple ambition with pragmatics at all times, work on thorough impact assessments, keep innovation central and also consider all solutions in this regard: “In a climate-neutral Europe, nuclear energy will remain necessary in the energy mix. Breakthroughs in biotechnology must also be given a chance. However, I do note that there are still a great many taboos, as a result of which certain technologies that can form part of the solution are being ignored. But an open mind is necessary because a successful climate policy cannot be a policy of sacrifice, but indeed a policy that puts the focus on prosperity.”

Fines in the pipeline?

On Wednesday morning, the N-VA already expressed its concerns on the De Ochtend show on Radio 1. “The European Commission wants to grab for itself the power regarding climate targets. It is positioning climate-neutrality by 2050 as a final objective, and to get there it will work with interim goals. The Climate Law says that the European Commission can impose higher targets on the member states if it notices in 2040 or so that we are not getting there. And probably it is going to attach fines to that.”