EU environment ministers call for recovery programme in line with environmental and climate policy goals

The Multiannual Financial Framework and the EU i recovery programme should substantially contribute to the environment and climate goals of the EU. This is what the EU environment ministers are calling for today in an informal video conference as part of Germany's EU Council Presidency.

Furthermore, in the joint call the ministers agreed to make the agreement on the upcoming key EU environmental and climate dossiers top priority in 2020.

Federal Environment Minister Schulze remarked:

It is imperative that we, as EU environment ministers, are actively involved in the ongoing discussion on shaping Europe's economic recovery. That is why it is so important to me to already address the green recovery during our first video conference to kick off the German Council Presidency. Now is the time to set a course that ensures we do not return to business as usual, but make a genuine recovery that supports a viable and environmentally compatible economy and society.

In the joint call, EU environment ministers urge that the lessons from the current crisis be used to support the resilient and sustainable development of economy and society. The European Green Deal provides the guiding framework necessary in these efforts. The EU environment ministers advocate that the EU Multiannual Financial Framework and EU recovery plan to be negotiated substantially contribute to the environment and climate goals of the EU. They point out that the climate and environmental crises have lost none of their urgency. Reforms to strengthen growth and competitiveness, to maintain and create good jobs and to foster the development of new skills must go hand in hand with ambitious and effective climate action and environmental protection measures.

The ministers also highlight the need for close cooperation and mutual understanding when tackling the upcoming challenges we now face. At the same time, they reaffirmed their priorities for the coming six-month period. These include an agreement on the European Climate Law, the Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and on the Circular Economy Action Plan. In addition, they will also be working on the impact assessment of the European Commission on potentially raising the EU climate target for 2030.