The Council of the EU, the European Parliament and the European Commission adopted the Joint Declaration on the legislative priorities of the EU for 2023 and 2024, including initiatives related to the European "green" course for the near future.
These changes are aimed at strengthening the unity and leadership of the EU amid current global challenges, including dealing with the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and improving the security of the whole of Europe, DiXi Group reports.
Analysts of DiXi Group reviewed the main initiatives of the EWC, listed in the Declaration, in different thematic blocks.
RES and Energy Efficiency
It is noted that the initiatives in this area relate to increasing the consumption of "green" energy, creating the necessary transparent market mechanisms, stimulating the development of new alternative fuels and increasing energy efficiency. Namely:
- Proposal for the Energy Efficiency Directive (amendments);
- Proposal for a Directive amending Directive 2005/29/EC and Directive 2011/83/EC to empower consumers to go green through better protection against unfair practices and better information;
- Proposal for a Regulation establishing the basis of ecodesign requirements for environmentally friendly products and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC;
- Proposals of requirements for ecodesign and energy labeling of a number of household appliances and industrial equipment (in particular, it concerns vacuum cleaners, heaters, washing machines, solid fuel boilers, refrigeration equipment, etc.);
- Proposal for a Regulation on reducing methane emissions in the energy sector and amending Regulation 2019/942;
- Proposal of the Regulation on internal markets of renewable and natural gases and hydrogen;
- Revision of Regulation 2015/1222 on establishing guidelines for capacity allocation and congestion management (electricity);
- Proposal for a Directive on common rules for internal markets in renewable and natural gases and hydrogen;
- Proposal for the Directive on energy efficiency of buildings (amendments);
- Proposal for a Regulation on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport and amending Directive 2009/16/EC;
- Proposal for a Directive on the promotion of energy from RES and the repeal of the European Council Directive 2015/652;
- Revision of Regulation No. 1272/2008 on classification, labeling and packaging;
- Proposal (draft Implementation Regulation) regarding requirements for the functioning of the European Register of Energy Labeling of Products (EPREL);
- Revision of the rules of the EU internal electricity market;
- EU Hydrogen Bank.
Climate and environment
Analysts emphasized that most of the proposed initiatives relate to this area. In particular, the development of new emission control standards, waste and chemical management rules, initiatives aimed at improving air and soil quality.
Initiatives in the field of climate and environment:
- Development of new standards emissions (Euro-7) for gasoline cars, minibuses, trucks and buses;
- Revision of Regulation No. 1272/2008 on classification, labeling and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures;
- Revision of Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe;
- Revision of directives in the field of water policy, in particular Directive 2000/60/EC, Directive 2006/118/EC, Directive 2008/105/EC;
- Proposal (draft Regulation) on the creation of a carbon removal certification system;
- Revision of Directive 2008/98/EU on waste;
- Revision of Directive 2008/98/EU in terms of setting mandatory targets for reducing food waste;
- Proposal (draft Directive) on the protection, sustainable management and restoration of soils;
- Revision of ecodesign requirements for professional refrigeration equipment;
- Revision of the rules (draft Delegated Regulation) regarding the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS);
- Proposal (draft Regulation) on revision of EU legislation on animal welfare;
- Proposal (draft Regulation) regarding the utilization (recycling) of vessels;
- Revision of vehicle inspection requirements, including Directive 2014/45/EC, Directive 2014/47/EC and Directive 1999/37/EC;
- Revision of Regulation No. 595/2009 for adoption of technical requirements for on-board devices for monitoring and determining fuel and/or energy consumption;
- Revision of Regulation No. 1907/2006 on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical Substances and Preparations (REACH);
- Proposal (draft Regulation) on better access to data on chemical substances;
- Proposal (draft Regulation) on simplification and digitization of labeling of chemical substances.
Financial instruments
Analysts noted that some initiatives relate to the area of financial instruments and EU capital markets, in particular, in relation to increasing transparency and strengthening the rules of the EU budget. Namely:
- Proposals for amendments to Regulation 2018/1046 on the financial rules of the EU budget;
- Amendments to Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments;
- Proposal for a Regulation establishing a European single access point providing centralized access to public information relating to financial services, capital markets and sustainable development.
As EcoPolitic reported before, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached a preliminary political agreement on revision of the EU Directive on energy efficiency, namely an 11.7% reduction in block-level final energy consumption in 2030.
