New EU climate target. Reduction by 90 percent will become a fact, ETS2 delayed by a year

On Tuesday, the European Parliament voted in favor of setting a new climate target for 2040. CO2 emissions in the EU will then have to be reduced by 90%. compared to the 1990 level. The EP also supported delaying the ETS2 system by one year.

413 MEPs in the 720-member chamber voted in favor of enshrining the new climate commitment in EU law. There were 226 votes against and 12 abstentions.

For the changes to come into force, they must be formally approved by the member states in the EU Council. The capitals had already tentatively agreed to the new target, but on the condition that provisions be introduced to give countries greater flexibility in reducing greenhouse gases.

One of such solutions are international carbon credits, also approved on Tuesday by MEPs, which finance investments in green projects around the world. Such carbon credits will be able to be added to the overall reduction effort, but will amount to no more than 5% in 2040.

The European Parliament also supported a one-year delay in the entry into force of the ETS2 system, which provides for covering transport and construction with CO2 emission permits.. Instead of 2027, this system will come into force in 2028.

It is also possible to use permanent carbon dioxide absorption resources, such as forests, to compensate for emissions that are difficult to reduce.

The European Commission is to check every two years how the goal is achieved and what impact it has on the competitiveness of European economies; in this assessment, the EC is also to take into account energy costs. On this basis, the EC will be able to propose changing the target for 2040.

Despite such changes, in November 2025, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic did not support the new target, and Belgium and Bulgaria abstained from voting.

From Brussels Magdalena Cedro (PAP)

mce/rtt/