Covering the EU’s “Fit for 55” package of climate and energy laws
Content:
- What will happen, when and why?
- What is in the package?
- Experts to contact for interviews and background, listed by policy field
- Further reading
1. What will happen, when and why?
The European Union has agreed on a more ambitious 2030 climate target and now aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by “at least 55” percent. However, setting a target is one thing, reaching it is another.
That is why the EU has embarked on a lengthy legislative journey to introduce new or adapted measures and instruments to bring down emissions. With the Fit for 55 package, the European Commission is responsible for preparing the law reform proposals it deems necessary for the bloc to reach the new target. The package is the starting point for member state governments, the European Parliament and the Commission to debate and decide a complete overhaul of EU energy and climate legislation over the coming months and years. The new climate target and the Fit for 55 package are key components of the bloc’s green growth strategy – the European Green Deal.
On 14, 15 and 16 July, the Commission will present most of the package:
14 July:
The Commission holds a press conference around noon following the College (cabinet) meeting, with president Ursula von der Leyen, Executive Vice-President Timmermans, and Commissioners Simson, Gentiloni, Vălean, Sinkevičius and Wojciechowski on delivering the European Green Deal
Followed by a press conference by Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Simson on energy and climate
15 July:
10:30 Press conference by Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Gentiloni on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and Energy Taxation
11:15 Press conference by Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Vălean on making transport greener
16 July:
11:00 Press conference by Commissioners Wojciechowski and Sinkevičius on the Forest Strategy
All press conferences can be followed live here.
The Commission has in the past provided factsheets on key elements, as well as a press release. However, making sense of the myriad of proposals, their effects and the reception by key players is bound to be a difficult task.
2. What is in the package?
The European Commission presented these elements of the package on 14 July. Some of them are reforms of existing regulation, others are new proposals.
- Revision of the EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS), including revision of the EU ETS Directive concerning aviation, maritime and CORSIA
- Revision of the Regulation on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF)
- Effort Sharing Regulation
- Amendment of the Renewable Energy Directive to implement the ambition of the new 2030 climate target
- Amendment of the Energy Efficiency Directive to implement the ambition of the new 2030 climate target
- ReFuelEU Aviation - sustainable aviation fuels
- FuelEU Maritime – green European maritime space
- Revision of the Directive on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure
- Amendment of the Regulation setting CO2 emission standards for cars and vans
- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
- Revision of the Energy Tax Directive
- Climate Action Social Facility
Links to the Commission material
Communication: fit for 55 delivering EU's 2030 climate targets
Website Delivering the European Green Deal (including legislative proposals)
Website with Audio-visual material on the proposals
Q&A on EU Emissions Trading System
Q&A on The Effort sharing and Land-use, Forestry and Agriculture Regulations
Q&A on Making our Energy Systems fit for our Climate Targets
Q&A on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
Q&A on the Revision of the Energy Taxation Directive
Q&A on Sustainable Transport Infrastructure and Fuels
Architecture of the package Factsheet
Socially fair transition Factsheet
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Factsheet
3. Experts to contact for interviews and background, listed by policy field
The press team of European Commission will answer all questions once the package is published – they usually do not comment on drafts before publication. The relevant contacts can be found below. The press office has said that national representations might offer off-the-record press briefings ahead of 14 July. You can find the right contact here to ask.
Most of the contacts listed below are EU-level experts. You can find more contacts in the factsheet Who sets the targets? Expert Q&A on European energy and climate policy.
If you are interested in the national view of a particular country, Clean Energy Wire has put together a European climate and energy expert database. Here, you can find national contacts from member states and sort them by topic. Most countries are online already, others will be added soon.
You can also use the Brussels Binder database to find a female expert on EU policy.
Last but not least, you can always get in touch with the team at Clean Energy Wire (info@cleanenergywire.org). We will provide information and connect you with the experts you are looking for.
GENERAL FIT FOR 55 PACKAGE
European Commission: Tim McPhie, Ana Crespo Parrondo, Lynn Rietdorf
For political comment, you can contact the larger parties or groups in the European Parliament. Find the press contacts here.
Analysts & researchers:
Agora Energiewende (think tank): Europe media contact Claire Stam (claire.stam@agora-energiewende.de) will guide you to the right expert
E3G (think tank): media contact – e.g. Manon Dufour (head of Brussels office)
Ecologic Institute: contact: Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf, Matthias Duwe
Florence School of Regulation (FSR): media contact Claudia Carella (Mariaclaudia.Carella@eui.eu)
Sebastian Oberthür, research professor environment & sustainable development, Institute for European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and University of Eastern Finland
Ariadne project (25+ German research institutions on energy transition): press contact: Sarah Messina (ariadne-presse@pik-potsdam.de) will guide you to the right researcher
For an industry perspective, check with umbrella organisation Business Europe: press contact Sofiya Yevchuk (s.yevchuk@businesseurope.eu)
There are many environmental NGOs with expertise on the issue, such as:
Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe (NGO): press team – Cristina Dascalu (cristina@caneurope.org), Goksen Sahin (goksen@caneurope.org), Nina Tramullas (nina@caneurope.org)
Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR) (German NGO): Antje Mensen (antje.mensen@dnr.de), EU climate & energy policy officer
CLIMATE
EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS), CO2 for cars, Effort sharing, LULUCF
European Commission: Tim McPhie, Lynn Rietdorf
Energy Brainpool (consultancy): press contact: Lydia Bischof (lydia.bischof@energybrainpool.com)
Oliver Geden, senior fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), lead author for Working Group III & member of the Core Writing Team for Synthesis Report IPCC
ICIS (commodity intelligence service): Florian Rothenberg (florian.rothenberg@icis.com), Sebastian Rilling (sebastian.rilling@icis.com)
Refinitiv (financial markets data provider): media contact – Hæge Fjellheim , Ingvild Sørhus
The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK): press contact: Jonas Viering (Jonas.Viering@pik-potsdam.de)
Clean Air Task Force Europe (advocacy/think tank): press contact: Rowan Emslie (remslie@cleanairtaskforce.org)
ENERGY
Renewable Energy Directive (RED), Energy Efficiency Directive (EED)
European Commission: Tim McPhie, Ana Crespo Parrondo
Bruegel (think tank): press contact: Giuseppe Porcaro (giuseppe.porcaro@bruegel.org)
Ember (think tank): press contact: Hannah Broadbent (hannah@ember-climate.org)
Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP): Jan Rosenow
Energy industry groups:
European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF): press contact: Dirk Hendricks (dirk.hendricks@eref-europe.org)
WindEurope: press contact: Christoph Zipf (christoph.zipf@windeurope.org)
EUROSOLAR: press contact: Ines Bresler (ines.bresler@eurosolar.de)
SolarPower Europe: press contact: Lukas Clark-Memler (l.clarkmemler@solarpowereurope.org)
European Biogas Association: press contact: Angela Sainz Arnau (sainz@europeanbiogas.eu)
Eurogas: press contact: Bronagh O’Hagan (bronagh.ohagan@eurogas.org)
Eurelectric: press contact: Ioana Petcu (ipetcu@eurelectric.org)
European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EuroAce): Eva Brardinelli (eva.brardinelli@euroace.org)
European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE): Monica Frassoni (media contact: matteo.guidi@euase.eu)
European Heat Pump Association: Thomas Nowak, Secretary General (media contact: Eirini Litina)
TRANSPORT
AFID, Maritime + Aviation fuel initiatives
European Commission: Stefan de Keersmaecker
Transport & Environment (think tank): press contact: sam.hargreaves@transportenvironment.org, eoin.bannon@transportenvironment.org )
International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) (think tank): Peter Mock (peter@theicct.org)
European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) (interest group): press contact: communications@acea.auto
TAXATION
CBAM, Energy taxation Directive
European Commission: Daniel Sheridan Ferrie, Nerea Artamendi Erro
Michael Mehling (MIT): mmehling@mit.edu
European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition (ERCST): Andrei Marcu acmarcu@ercst.org)
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Arjun Flora (media contact)
For international implications: Bruegel (think tank): Simone Tagliapietra
4. Further reading
EU to unveil landmark climate plan to phase out fossil fuels, by Bloomberg (14 July)
Fit for 55 hub, by Politico (updated regularly)
Europe’s ‘Fit for 55’ climate package: What to expect, by EurActiv (9 July 2021)
“Fit for 55%” proposals: the EU’s dive into deep and whole-economy decarbonisation, by E3G (7 July 2021)
The European Green Deal's fitness test – Will the EU’s Fit-for-55 package ensure reaching the climate goal?, by Heinrich Böll Foundation (7 July 2021)
World’s biggest carbon market to get stronger in EU green shift, article on draft by Bloomberg (27 June 2021)
Analysis: EU industry hands Brussels headache over carbon border levy, by Reuters (22 June 2021)
EU’s carbon border tariff to target steel, cement, power, by EurActiv (3 June 2021)
Legislative Train Schedule of the Fit for 55 Package, by European Parliament
Fit for 55, article collection by EurActiv
10 benchmarks to make Europe’s revamp of climate and energy laws a success, by think tank Agora Energiewende (May 2021)
A “Fit for 55” Package Based on Environmental Integrity and Solidarity, impulse paper by think tank Agora Energiewende & Ecologic Institute (March 2021)
‘Fit for 55%’: what is it and what does WWF want?, by NGO WWF (March 2021)
Setting the course towards climate neutrality – WindEurope position paper (March 2021)
Energy transition in EU takes centre stage in quest for climate neutrality, dossier by Clean Energy Wire (June 2021)