Bavarian MEP Henrike Hahn (Alliance 90/The Greens), member of the Industry Committee (ITRE) and industrial policy spokesperson of the Green Group on Europe, comments on the Fit for 55 climate package presented today by the EU Commission:

„The EU takes responsibility for climate protection and shows that it has understood that climate policy means growth and prosperity. Europe is now delivering on climate protection where the German government is blocking until now. From a Green perspective, the EU could have made even more far-reaching proposals, but today’s proposal is a step in the right direction.

The Fit for 55 package is an important climate policy tool for Europe and aims to bring us to -55% greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Minus 55% with the applied accounting trick will not be enough to meet the Paris Agreement goals. The Commission’s current proposals on Fit for 55 will also not be sufficient to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

This makes the forthcoming negotiations for more ambitious targets even more important. If we Europeans want to achieve our climate targets, we need a German government that is explicitly committed to the highest ambition of climate protection instead of blocking it in the coming negotiations.

The phase-out date for combustion cars could have been earlier, and without dilution by synthetic fuels. Also, given that the German government tried to push for 2040 as phase-out date, the announced date at the European level is a success.

Some sectors that could become carbon-neutral faster, such as energy and cars, need more support than proposed by the European Commission.

We need a carbon border adjustment mechanism that protects European industry which will be required to produce CO2-free and helps to keep it competitive. Contracts for differences between companies and states can provide security for industry in this regard.

The coming decade will be crucial for making the right investments in rapid and socially just ecological change. The Fit for 55 package continues to include free emissions allowances. We need to calculate with the real costs of climate pollution. The climate social fund for just compensation must be expanded, because we need an ecological transformation that is socially just.“