EU Parliament Votes to Reduce Emissions of Member Countries by 40% Until 2030

The European Parliament has voted today for the revision of the so-called Effort Sharing Regulation, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport, buildings and agriculture until 2030 from 30 per cent to 40 per cent compared to 2025 levels.

This law currently regulates approximately 60 per cent of all EU emissions and for the first time, through it, all EU countries must now reduce GHG emissions with targets ranging between ten and 50 per cent, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

“With this law, we take a major step forward in delivering on the EU’s climate goals. The new rules for national emission cuts ensure that all member states contribute and that existing loopholes are closed. This allows us to send a clear signal that the EU is serious about being the global champion for a competitive and efficient climate agenda,” the rapporteur Jessica Polfjärd pointed out in this regard.

In a statement released today, the EU parliament also said that the 2030 targets for each member state are based on cost-effectiveness and GDP per capita. Member States will have to ensure every year that they do not exceed their annual allocation of GHG emissions.

As the parliament explains, the adopted law finds the right balance between the need for EU countries to be flexible in order to achieve their objectives by ensuring a fair and social transition and the need to address the shortcomings so that the overall reduction target of the EU is fulfilled.

The authority noted that, therefore, there are limits on how much emissions member countries can save from previous years, borrow from future years and how much they can exchange allocations with other EU countries.

Furthermore, the Effort Sharing Regulation is part of the so-called package “Fit for 55 in 2030”, which is the plan of the EU to reduce GHG emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels following the European Climate Law.

In December last year, the European Commission welcomed the above-mentioned agreement on reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent in 2030. It said that updated emissions trading rules would speed up the implementation of the polluter pays principle by gradually reducing free allowances for the aviation sector by 2026.

In addition, the Commission stated that through this agreement, the strictness of the existing system, which has covered aviation since 2012, would be increased as well. In 2026, the EU Commission is also expected to carry out an evaluation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.