Greening the European Semester – what does that mean?
Rozalina PetrovaDG Environment, European Commission
EESC – Europe 2020 Steering CommitteeBrussels, 6 February 2013
Resource Efficiency in Europe 2020
• Sustainable growth and resource efficiency: a pillar of the Europe 2020 Strategy
• Flagship Initiative “A resource efficient Europe"
Flagship initiative « A resource-efficient Europe »
Roadmap to a resource efficient Europe
• Three timelines
• long term 2050 vision (short-termism)
• milestones for 2020
• actions to be taken now by the Commission and MS
• Three action lines
• Transforming the economy
• Safeguarding the resilience of our natural capital
• Tackling key sectors
• Shared responsibility of EU and MS: governance and monitoring under Europe 2020 => European Semester
Setting policy priorities for Europe 2020 implementation
• Integrated guidelines for the economic and employment policies of the Member States (longer term) • Guideline 5: Improving resource efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases
• Annual Growth Survey as part of European Semester (shorter term):
• "This process is not only about a return to growth but is also about building the basis for a different quality of growth following the crisis."
• Fiscal consolidation: shifting from taxing labour towards environmental taxes and eliminating environmentally harmful subsidies
• Growth enhancing: growth potential of the green economy - energy efficiency renovation programmes; improved waste management, water management and recycling
• Employment: job potential of expanding sectors, such as the green economy, healthcare and ICT
Country Specific Recommendations 2012• A shift towards environmental taxation recommended for 12 countries: AT, BE, CZ, EE
(vehicles), ES, FR, HU (energy), IT, LT (including car taxation), LU, LV (resources) and SK.
• Individual recommendation on waste (EE), water (BG), reduction of GHG emissions (BE, LU).
• Recommendations on energy aspects of the resource efficiency agenda are given to 8 countries (recommendations on various aspects of energy were given for a total of 14 MS):
• energy efficiency: BG, EE, LT (buildings), LV, MT;
• renewables: EE, MT;
• regulated prices: HU;
• energy infrastructure with a view to improve efficiency: PL, UK.
• As regards transport, resource efficiency relevant recommendations are given to BE (GHG emissions), DE (rail), EE (vehicles taxation), HU (public transport), PL (rail).
Opportunities for improvement
Source: Eurostat, 2012
Opportunities for improvement (2)
Opportunities for improvement (3)
Percentage of urban population exposed to PM10 concentrations exceeding daily limit value, 2010
Next steps
• Bilaterals/country visits currently ongoing to discuss implementation and preparation of NRPs
• Spring European Council on 14/15 March• Irish Presidency priority on greening the economy.
• Input from various Councils under preparation.
• Environment Council input through exchange of views in December.
• Submission of National Reform Programmes - 15 April
• Commission to adopt proposals for CSRs/SWDs - end of May.
• Endorsement by European Council - 28/29 June.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/resource_efficiency/ http://ec.europa.eu/environment/resource_efficiency/
Thank you!