The European Commission will propose legislation to target "an industry with net zero emissions" in greenhouse gases, and therefore carbon neutral, by boosting green technologies, announced Tuesday January 17 in Davos its president Ursula von der Leyen.

"This new regulation (...) will set clear targets for clean technologies by 2030. The aim will be to focus investments on strategic projects along supply chains" and "to simplify and accelerate authorization procedures for new production sites" of green technologies, she said in a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The EU has set itself the target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990, and of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as part of its ambitious Pact green.

To achieve this, "we must create a regulatory environment that allows rapid deployment and generates favorable conditions for essential sectors (...) wind and solar energy, heat pumps, clean hydrogen or even storage devices", said argue Ursula von der Leyen.

"In parallel, we will reflect on ways to speed up the procedures on European 'projects of common interest' on clean technologies, to facilitate their financing as well as access for small companies", she added.

Develop green technologies

According to the head of the European executive, this new legislation – which will have to be the subject of negotiations between the Member States and the European Parliament – ​​“will follow the model” of the text already proposed by the Commission to boost its production of semi -drivers.

Brussels had thus presented in February 2022 a plan of 43 billion euros in favor of the semiconductor industry, to reduce European dependence on Asia and conquer 20% of the world market in 2030. 

The text provided in particular for a relaxation of the regulatory framework on public aid to finance research in the most innovative technologies and pilot lines to prepare for their industrialization.

Finally, "the regulation for a net zero emission industry will go hand in hand with a text on critical raw materials", which aims in particular to secure EU supplies of rare earths and lithium, essential for the electrification of the industry and green infrastructure (wind turbines, solar panels, etc.), stressed Ursula von der Leyen.

Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton unveiled the outlines of this text in the fall, expected in 2023, which should aim, for example, for at least 30% of European demand for refined lithium to come from the EU of by 2030, and that waste treatment in the EU recovers at least 20% of the rare earth elements it contains.

With AFP

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