4
Oct
2023
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Energy Charter Treaty: next steps (continuation of debate)
Madam President, I welcome the debate. I wish the Council could respond to the demands of the European Parliament, and also to the proposals put forward by the Commission with regard to the withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty. Let us be under no illusions. This was negotiated in 1994. A lot has changed subsequently in terms of our requirements to defossilise, to decarbonise and to ensure that we have an energy sector that is renewable and that is not contributing to further global warming and the escalation of global temperatures. I would urge the Council, the Commission as well, to use whatever levers they can to influence the timely withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty and to say that it is against everything that the European Union is trying to do in terms of the Green Deal and in trying to transition to where we want to get to. So, an orderly unwinding from the Energy Charter Treaty, and to ensure that there is no claims to Member States in the times ahead with regard to ‘sunset clauses’. We do need an orderly transition and withdrawal, and it is up to the Council to agree to it, and to the Commission to continually probe them and encourage them.