EEB's HOT TAKE??

The first Plenary of the new EU Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday saw current EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen?elected for a second term with a huge majority of 401 (of 707) votes.?

VDL saw support from the three main parties in the European Parliament plus the Greens, with a notable 45 Green votes in favour and only ten against—support that could strengthen the party's hand?in the alliance.?

VDL delivered a speech outlining?her?Political Guidelines—the roadmap for the institutions for the next five years—and devising?enough new EU Commissioner roles to fill a Tokyo subway carriage (as delightfully illustrated in this meme below?by one of our esteemed colleagues). This included the appointment of a Commissioner who will be responsible for intergenerational fairness.

CASTING A WIDE NET The speech was a whistle-stop tour of the President’s Political Guidelines for 2024-2029 , directly influenced by the EU Council’s Strategic Agenda and?the fact that there was no clear guarantee of VDLs re-election prior to the Plenary.?The guidelines are, therefore, quite broad and designed to ensure support from a wide coalition from Greens to ECR.?

While the speech was a diplomatic cookie jar, handing out sweets left, right and centre (literally), the guidelines will drive the mandate of the next EU Commission, so it's worth paying attention.?

CHAMELEON VDL What is clear, though, is that in the last five years, the President of the EU Commission has gone from a “Green” cheerleader to a “Brown” one, with industry—not youth—the new champions of her narrative and deregulation and simplification high on the agenda. While we can say that the?Political Guidelines and re-election reaffirmed her commitment to the EU Green Deal , it is in a weakened state compared to before. ?

POLITICAL HIGHLIGHTS: THE EEB’S HOT TAKE???

A NEW INDUSTRIAL DEAL???

What she said: “A Clean Industrial Deal in the first 100 days of the mandate”?

What it means: Von der Leyen is committed to implementing her previous mandate’s flagship Green Deal and plans to introduce a "Clean Industrial Deal" to align European decarbonisation with industrialisation. Her speech reinforced 2030 and 2050 climate targets and proposed a 90% emissions reduction target for 2040. However, her emphasis on competitiveness and business-friendly policies raised eyebrows in the EEB. We will monitor these policies closely to ensure they align with zero pollution and climate neutrality goals and that "simplification" is not used to justify compromises on environmental, health, or worker protection standards.?

A FRIEND TO FARMERS?????

What she said: “A fair future for farmers”?

What it means: Von der Leyen acknowledged farmers' struggles with unfair incomes and climate challenges but failed to offer sustainable solutions. Instead of reinforcing the Farm to Fork Strategy, she reverted to outdated competitiveness and food security rhetoric, supporting the old income-support approach of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). She ignored the agricultural sector's environmental and climate impacts, failing to address biodiversity loss, pollution, and unsustainable consumption. Europe must tackle these issues to secure farmers' livelihoods, food security, and the health of people and the planet.?

REACH (FOR THE STARS)???

What she said: “A?new chemicals industry package"?

What it means: Business interests are prioritised over people and the planet. Despite the EU Council's?call for action against pollution and the Green Deal's promise to tackle harmful substances, VDL's Political Guidelines fall short, failing even to mention the pollution crisis explicitly. To secure a healthier future, the EU must stick?to the Green Deal's objectives, focusing on faster responses to chemical hazards through a reformed REACH framework. Simplifying regulations must deliver higher environmental and social protection alongside business certainty and competitiveness in green innovation.??

A crucial step is a broad ban on non-essential PFAS 'forever chemicals,' which have polluted our environment and burdened the public with heavy clean-up costs. Only a comprehensive ban will protect our health and ensure intergenerational fairness.?

MONEY TALKS???

What she said: “A mandate of investment”?

What it means:?It's encouraging that VDL emphasises investment. However, her focus on competitiveness, security and defence raises concerns about where this investment will go. The EU needs a green and social investment package for all Member States, targeting public infrastructure, green policy, social investments, and environmental protection. Investments should not be restricted by economic growth but aim for economic transformation, creating quality jobs, decent incomes, gender justice, and a healthy environment.?

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY????

Did she say: A new European Democracy Defence Shield ???

What it means:?VDL’s pledges to defend democracy are promising on paper.?However, the emphasis is heavily on fighting foreign interference and the digital space. With the shrinking of civic space becoming a graver reality every day, it is essential that the new EU Commission commits to involving citizens and CSOs in policymaking. Europe must empower existing and innovative European democratic structures – including the media, NGOs, and rights defenders –?with real decision-making power and funding. To her credit, she did make explicit the need to protect civil society and deliberative democracy.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY???

What she said: "A new Circular Economy Pact"?

What it means:?The guidelines include a new Circular Economy Act. However, the focus appears limited to waste management and recycling, neglecting crucial aspects such as resource use reduction and measures to curb waste generation at the source.

NATURE???

What she said: Very little on nature??

What it means:?Everyone wants to preserve the things we hold dear. But the truth is, with an increasingly unpredictable climate and a natural world in rapid decline, we are seriously jeopardising this 'quality of life' many of us have grown accustomed to. To protect it, Europe needs to stay the course and commit to a truly green and social deal, which includes?more ambition, investment, implementation and enforcement of commitments.?

PLUS...?

HALLUCINATIONS OF HYDROGEN????

DEAR EU, WAKE UP! The European Court of Auditors has delivered a demolishing report this week, declaring EU hydrogen targets unrealistic and needing a reality check. Ehem... We've been saying this for years! But hearing it from a financial watchdog is major. A number of concerns about the cost, readiness, and environmental impact of hydrogen make it a reckless gamble to bet on it as an 'easy fix' for decarbonising Europe. The EU Commission must drastically reduce its targets for 2030. Read our article .?

CAN’T BE NEUTRAL?This report strikes at the very core of the so-called "technology-neutral" approach to climate policy, echoed by von der Leyen in her speech to the EU Parliament yesterday. Not all options are valid for decarbonising Europe. Investing massive public funds in unproven and costly solutions when viable alternatives exist is simply shooting ourselves in the foot. We need renewable hydrogen , but not to the extent that it distracts us from proven methods to reduce emissions: energy savings, renewables, and electrification!?

AND...?

THE CASE FOR AN EU WEALTH TAX In the face of escalating global climate issues, environmental and cost-of-living crises, and the context of constantly deepening social injustices, EU governments stand at a crossroads. Taxing the EU’s richest could help the EU address such systemic injustices and foster a just transition quicker and more effectively. Read our briefing and join the European Citizens’ Initiative .?

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