According to an internal email obtained by Reuters, the European Parliament has decided to delay the scheduled vote for the approval of new renewable energy targets in the European Union (EU). France and several other countries recently expressed their opposition to the proposed law, prompting this postponement.
Originally set to take place on Tuesday, the vote in the energy committee of the Parliament has been rescheduled for June, although an exact date was not specified in the email.
The EU is currently in the process of finalizing a crucial aspect of its climate agenda: a legislation that includes a binding objective for the EU to derive 42.5% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.
However, the bill has encountered unexpected resistance. Diplomats from EU member countries were initially scheduled to signal their approval for the law last week. However, discussions were put on hold after France and other nations voiced their refusal to support it.
The Parliament was originally slated to conduct an initial vote on Tuesday, followed by a final vote in July. This delay raises concerns that the approval of the policy may be postponed until September, after the summer recess of the EU assembly.
Initially, the approval of the law by both the EU Parliament and member countries was expected to be a mere formality, as negotiators from both sides had reached what was believed to be a final agreement earlier this year.
However, France expressed dissatisfaction with the final outcome. Paris is seeking greater recognition of low-carbon nuclear energy in the legislation and argues that the rules unjustly discriminate against hydrogen produced from nuclear power by not allowing countries to include this low-carbon fuel in their renewable fuel targets for the industry.
Additional countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland, also voiced their discontent with the regulations for various reasons. Some capitals perceive the targets as excessively ambitious.
A spokesperson for Sweden, the current holder of the EU’s rotating presidency, confirmed that discussions are underway to address the ongoing dispute.
Nevertheless, several countries are growing impatient with the unexpected delay, which has been described by some diplomats as a surprising setback to one of the bloc’s primary measures in combating climate change.
“One EU diplomat stated that the level of frustration is extremely high indeed. France consistently demands more,” highlighting the prevailing sentiments among stakeholders.
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