The European Union’s green laws risk being “politicized” in the run-up to the bloc’s elections next June, according to Environmental Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius.
(Bloomberg) — The European Union’s green laws risk being “politicized” in the run-up to the bloc’s elections next June, according to Environmental Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius.
While the 27-nation bloc has passed the bulk of green legislation that puts it on track to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030, there’s been a backlash in recent months against some climate and environmental laws. Center-right lawmakers are raising concerns about the cost of the transition during a period of high inflation and energy costs, with plans to re-wild nature and re-use packaging proving particularly divisive.
The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, is due to unveil legislation to help prevent the unintentional use of microplastics this month, but passing it before June’s elections will be “extremely difficult,” Sinkevicius said.
“I don’t want new files to be politicized because of the elections coming,” Sinkevicius said in an interview Friday. “I don’t want to open files and leave them in limbo.”
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Sinkevicius said he hopes that member states would agree a common position on packaging and packing waste before the end of the year, so a deal can be struck before elections to the European Parliament. The polls loom as food companies, like McDonald’s Corp. and countries like Italy push back against the rules that promote re-use versus recycling.
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