Brdo Castle (Kranj) (Slovenia) (AFP)

The European Commission said Wednesday it was "confident" in the possibility of overcoming the opposition of certain States to its controversial proposal for an increase in the price of road fuels and rejected the argument of a "yellow vests risk".

European Environment Ministers, meeting in Slovenia, are due to give their "first observations" on Wednesday on the climate package unveiled on July 14 by the European executive to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990) EU carbon.

Brussels has notably proposed the extension of the European carbon market to road transport and residential heating, a project which has been coldly received by a number of states (France's "reserves", strong opposition from Hungary, etc.), which worried about repercussions on consumer bills.

"We are asking for an objective evaluation. Some have reacted even before our announcements, evoking a + political suicide +. My answer is simple: read our project", launched the Vice-President of the Commission, Frans Timmermans, in charge of the Green Pact, just before the meeting at Brdo Castle (center).

"What can happen is that Member States and Parliament don't even look at our proposal and throw it in the trash without analyzing it. The only thing I ask: do the analysis! At least have that respect. there ", he pleaded.

The project of a "second carbon market", operational in 2025 and on which suppliers of fuels and domestic fuel oil should buy "pollution permits", must be approved by MEPs and a qualified majority of states.

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While an increase in fuel prices raises the specter of social movements of the French "yellow vests" type, the Commission is promising a fund supplied by carbon market revenues to help the most vulnerable households.

To curb the strong growth in transport emissions, "if you have a better alternative, give it to us! (...) In any transition there is a price: the question is whether it is paid by those who can, "said Frans Timmermans.

"What we are proposing makes it possible to massively support people threatened with fuel poverty (...) I see very badly how we could do that with a tax or a regulation," he said.

"Everyone talks about + yellow vests +! There is always a risk that the population will reject proposals, but sometimes the + yellow vests + argument is used by those who have very specific interests to defend. If we can prove that our proposal is fair and united, it has a chance ", he concludes.

© 2021 AFP