Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala does not expect conclusions after the European Council, which begins in Brussels on Thursday, will accept the EU as a whole. In fact, it is that Hungary will not join, he said before departure to the summit. He wants to deal with European colleagues, in particular, a significant adjustment of the emission allowance system, for which he said he has already received a qualified majority of states, says TASR newsletter in Prague.
“In the case of the European Council, I do not expect to approve the conclusions concerning Ukraine with all states.
Eighteenth penalty package
He added that at the 18th package of anti -Russian sanctions, the Committee of Permanent Representatives will probably be negotiated on Friday. “So far, information is that both Hungary and Slovakia have not been prepared to support the final form of 18. The penalty package has always been supported. But so far we have always managed to find a match, so I believe it will succeed in this case.
In addition to geopolitical themes or security, leaders will also talk about economic issues, especially the EU competitiveness. According to Fial, its basic condition is to reduce energy prices, to which some decisions from the past should help. In this context, the Czech Republic is trying to change the system of emission allowances, especially in the ETS 2 system. Fiala stressed that the Czech Republic will not introduce new allowances if this meant the price increase of housing or fuel.
Editing of emission allowances
According to him, the aim is to completely abolish the allowances, but if it is not possible at the moment, at least the system is fundamentally modified. “We are trying to ensure that the system has come to substantial changes. We do not have the majority to cancel them at the moment, but we have a qualified majority of states for their substantial adjustment. We have already joined 18 states,” the Czech Prime Minister said.
According to him, the EU’s competitiveness also threatens the upcoming European Commission plan to set the CO2 emission reduction by 2040. The Czech Republic rejects him because he is not a realistic goal. On the contrary, it supports the EU steps to eliminate dependence on Russian fossil fuels, as set out in the repawerea plan. Fiala added that the Czech Republic had already fulfilled its tasks in it.
