MEPs flex their muscles over EU climate plans

2643, 24/10/08

The European parliament has brought forward the date for a first-reading vote on a major package of proposals to cut EU carbon emissions to early December for fear of being politically marginalised by governments.

The decision was taken on Thursday by European parliament president Hans-Gert Pottering and the leaders of the main political groups.  It was taken in response to comments made about the plans by the French presidency of the EU at a meeting of European leaders last week (EED 16/10/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/articles/index.cfm?action=article&ref=26371).  

France said the final decision on the plans would have to be taken at the next meeting of European leaders on 11-12 December.  The remarks antagonised many MEPs because they felt governments were trying to marginalise them politically and undermine their co-decision powers. 

The parliament's first-reading vote on the plans was initially scheduled for mid-December. The French presidency insists it does not intend to "play games" with the parliament, a council source told ENDS.  France is "trying very hard to explain it does not mean to marginalise them [MEPs] but that it wants to allow all member states to have their voice heard", the source said.  Both sides are committed to reaching a first-reading agreement by the end of the year. 

France hopes it can convince MEPs to move the vote back to its initial date.  It fears a vote in early December in parliament could frustrate countries concerned about the plans (EED 22/10/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/articles/index.cfm?action=article&ref=26412) and sink hopes of a first-reading agreement.  Governments remain divided particularly on a proposal to revise Europe's emission trading scheme (EED 20/10/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/26391). Negotiations with MEPs will begin in November.

*Meanwhile, the parliament adopted a first-reading position on draft EU budget for 2009 on Thursday.  MEPs called for a specific E20bn budget line for measures to tackle climate change.  A final budget will be decided in December in a second-reading agreement with council.

Follow-up: European parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/, tel: +32 2 284 2111, plus press release on draft budget

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/034-40392-294-10-43-905-20081022IPR40391-20-10-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm, commission proposal

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/695&guiLanguage=de and reactions from The Greens

http://www.greens-efa.org/cms/pressreleases/dok/255/255259.eu_2009_budget@en.htm and Liberals

http://www.alde.eu/index.php?id=42&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=9896&cHash=945a7d7346.

ENDS Europe Daily is Europe's leading environmental news service. A free trial is available by clicking on the following link:http://www.endseuropedaily.com/web/helcom.