New Commission might sideline environment in CEE

September 11, 2014

Brussels -- The priorities of European Commission president elect Jean-Claude Juncker for the newly-announced Commission threaten Europe’s climate and resource efficiency ambitions, says CEE Bankwatch Network. Particularly worrying from the perspective of CEE countries is an apparent shift in the vision of Regional Policy from making the European economy more sustainable, to “jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness” without any nod to green energy and resource efficiency.

In a “mission letter” yesterday outlining the agenda to be pursued by the new Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu, who is tasked with oversight of more than 450 billion euros in EU regional development funds, Juncker makes a U-turn from the previously agreed investment plans for green energy and resource spending.

“I would ask you to pay particular attention to the contribution that the funds under your responsibility can make to establishing a European Energy Union and completing the Digital Single Market,” Juncker writes to Cretu in the mission letter. This is a far cry from the vision of Regional Policy set out in Commission proposals from last year, which earmarked 38 billion euros from the regional funds for climate action intended to modernise the European economy, particularly in central and eastern Europe where funds are most needed.

In reaction to the letter, Mark Fodor, Executive Director of the CEE Bankwatch Network said, “By missing out to acknowledge the crucial role of EU funding for addressing the climate challenge, the president-elect is showing complete disregard for the future of our planet.”

Read the full “mission letter” to the new Regional Policy Commissioner:

Read a letter send by Green 10, the most important environmental NGOs in Brussels, to Jean-Claude Juncker about the structure of the new Commission: