Latest news with #EUDecoded
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Can the EU be a climate leader and boost its economic competitiveness?
At the heart of the debate, in focus on this episode of EU Decoded, is whether the 27-country bloc can afford to retain its leadership in climate policy while remaining an economic powerhouse. Through its Climate Law, the EU pledged to become climate neutral by mid-century, with an intermediate target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse emissions compared to 1990 level by 2030. The review to the landmark piece of legislation spearheaded by the EU's executive in July plans to set a 2040 target. The review also includes a proposal to allow EU countries to participate in the international carbon market to offset some of their pollution. "So basically, an EU member state could pay a third country outside the EU to reduce its greenhouse emissions," Euronews reporter Gregoire Lory told the programme. "NGOs are saying this is nonsense because it runs against scientific opinion." It also allows for other forms of flexibilities. "One is the carbon removal, could be nature-based, or industrial technologies. And on this point, NGOs are saying that these industrial technologies' removers are not developed enough to be scaled up," Lory said. Another one is "flexibility between sectors, so sectors ahead on their reductions, could compensate those lagging behind." 'We can't solve the climate crisis alone' A attempt to fast-track the review through the European Parliament was however rejected. "The far right blocked it together with the (centre-right group) EPP," Greens MEP Lena Schilling (Austria) told Euronews. "Now we, together with the social democrats and the liberals, need to get EPP on board and that's what we are trying to do, to work together constructively and do another report, other amendments." But lawmakers are not the only ones divided. French President Emmanuel Macron had called in June for the Commission to delay its proposal, arguing more time is needed to reach a European compromise that would not hamper the bloc's flagging global competitiveness. For Schilling, Macron's stance "really messes with the next COP negotiations" which will take place in Brazil in November. "We are always saying we can't solve the climate crisis alone in Europe. We need China. We need the US. We need other countries. We need India. And then at the same time, right before we are announcing our NDCs (National Determined Contribution) trying to bail out. And that's just irresponsible and extremely, extremely dangerous," she added. But the fight against climate change seemed to have slipped down the list of priorities for the Commission. In its proposal last month for a €2 trillion budget for the 2028-2034 period, the focus was squarely on competitiveness and security and defence. Journalist: Alice Tidey and Isabel Marques da Silva Content production: Pilar Montero López Video production: Zacharia Vigneron Graphism: Loredana Dumitru Editorial coordination: Ana Lázaro Bosch and Jeremy Fleming-Jones
Euronews
02-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
EU Commissioner calls for more of long-term budget for space projects
The EU's next long-term budget (2028–34), currently set at €1.2 trillion, should dedicate more funding to space projects to reduce reliance on the US and bolster the bloc's strategic autonomy, EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius told Euronews' EU Decoded program. 'We know the needs, and the needs are much bigger than what we have now in this Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2021–27),' Kubilius said, adding that simply maintaining existing systems will require investing more than the current €17 billion allocated to space. The former Lithuanian Prime Minister argued that Europe remains 'quite heavily reliant' on key strategic services from the US, and that the continent urgently needs to develop more of its own space intelligence data systems. The EU is currently developing the IRIS² project, an €11 billion initiative aiming to create a secure, multi-orbital satellite network for EU governments and businesses — but new projects are also expected to be launched under the funding of the next MFF. 'We're building our own capacities, and that will cost, so that money should be included in the next MFF,' Kubilius said. 'If we do not allocate enough funding and fail to start developing these projects, by 2035 we may find ourselves in a very unattractive situation,' the Commissioner warned. In recent years, Europe has lost its leading position in the commercial launcher market (Ariane 4–5) and geostationary satellites — even forcing the EU to temporarily rely on US SpaceX rockets to launch its own satellites. According to Mario Draghi's report on competitiveness, the EU has also fallen behind in space activities and suffered major supply chain disruptions. As a result, the industry has become less profitable, with lower sales and increased dependence on components such as semiconductors and detectors. Earlier this year, Kubilius laid out the EU's roadmap to remain a space power: continue developing flagship programs, launch an EU space industrial strategy to foster innovation and competitiveness, ensure autonomous access to space, strengthen ties between defence and space, and boost investment. The Commissioner has already delivered the EU Space Act, aimed at creating a true single market for space activities and data. But whether he succeeds in securing more space funding in the next MFF to fulfill the rest of his agenda remains to be seen. On 16 July, the European Commission is expected to present the first package of its post-2027 long-term budget, when the battle for funds between old and recent EU priorities will begin.
