EUROPEAN COUNCIL : DEADLINE FOR 2030 ENERGY-CLIMATE PACKAGE MOVES TO OCTOBER.

The slight acceleration in decision making is seen as a "workable compromise"

The European Council is now set to slightly accelerate its work on the 2030 energy-climate package, with a final decision on the policy framework expected "as quickly as possible and no later than October 2014," according to the most recent draft of the summit conclusions, dated 19 March and which Europolitics has seen.

Earlier drafts said that the decision should be taken "before the end of the year," providing a more flexible deadline and largely reflecting the views of the Eastern European countries, which have been repeatedly saying there is no need to rush the process (see Europolitics 4827).

This most recent draft, following the General Affairs Council on 18 March, represents "a workable compromise," according to EU sources. It is meant to also emphasise the view of the Scandinavian countries, which ideally would have liked to see a common EU 2030 position ahead of the United Nations climate summit in September 2014.

Although the latest version of the text indicates a potential three-month reduction in the deadline, it appears that the EU's primary reference point is the major climate conference to be held in Paris in December 2015. In his traditional invitation letter to the European Council, President Herman Van Rompuy mentions that the leaders' main task on climate and energy during their 20-21 March summit is to prepare for this global agreement.

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