French response to European Commission’s climate and energy package targets

Paris, 23 January 2008

"France will deliver", said Jean-Louis Borloo. France pays tribute to the very important work carried out by the European Commission and presented today by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. (…)

France is one of the lowest-carbon industrialized economies, with per capita emissions 25% below the European average and 30-40% below those of her major neighbours. This situation results from the substantial investment by the French to develop 90% CO2 free electricity generation and their judicious behavioural and technological choices which make, inter alia, the cars on French roads among those with the lowest emissions in Europe.

Moreover, yesterday Jean-Louis Borloo announced that greenhouse gas emissions were clearly on the decrease (- 2.5%) between 2005 and 2006.

In line with the Grenelle Environment Forum’s conclusions, France is intent on making an ambitious and resolute contribution to meeting the European targets.

Despite the efforts already made and a good starting position, France agrees to commit to cutting her greenhouse gas emissions by 14% in the sectors not covered by the quota exchange system, as the European Commission proposes. "With such a target, France will maintain her position of leader in the battle against climate change, and in 2020 will become the European economy with the lowest carbon emissions", said Jean-Louis Borloo, Ministre d’Etat, Minister for Ecology and Sustainable Planning and Development. (…)

France nevertheless reaffirms her concern to fight "carbon leakage" and consequently for:

 the proportion of quotas put up for auction to take account of the degree of exposure to international competition, failing which the European Union risks opening the way to relocations of some emitting activities to countries not willing to make the appropriate efforts to fight climate change;

 the package to provide as of now for the automatic establishment of a border adjustment mechanism for imports coming from countries refusing to contribute to the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after 2012; France will work closely with the European Commission on the proposals it has pledged to present by 2011. As Jean-Louis Borloo made clear, "this is a fundamental issue". (…)./.