Polski
Issue 4/2026, From the European Commission
Revising the flexibility of the EU’s post-2030 climate policy framework.
Apr
The European Commission’s Directorate General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) is inviting participation in a legislative initiative consultation until May 4, 2026, on assessing the impact of the Regulation on Effort Sharing and Modalities and Changes in Land Use and Forestry. The initiative will examine how national climate targets can encourage action and enable the achievement of the European Union’s 2040 climate target, including the use of flexibilities and EU enabling measures.
This initiative is linked to two others, namely the assessment of the use of international carbon credits under the 2040 climate policy and the review of the Energy Union Governance Regulation.
General background, or EU climate targets
The European climate law, Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of June 30, 2021, commits the European Union to set an intermediate climate target for 2040 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
A binding climate target for 2040 was set at the end of 2025, with a 90 percent reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to 1990 levels. The consequence of the introduction at the end of 2025. aforementioned. purpose is the need:
- Adoption of a possible pilot period for 2031-2035 to create an international market for carbon credits of high quality and integrity,
- Review of national targets and flexibilities under EU climate policy.
In order to achieve these goals, DG CLIMA has commissioned, among other things:
- An evaluation study of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) regulation;
- analysis of the joint reduction effort regulation;
- A qualitative assessment of the impacts of a range of possible policy options for the post-2030 national climate goals;
- An assessment of various market instruments to create demand for carbon sequestration, introduced in accordance with the regulation on carbon sequestration and carbon-intensive techniques (CRCF).
Climate change and climate neutrality
EU countries are legally obliged to fight climate change. By 2050. must transition to a climate-neutral economy with zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
In view of the worsening climate crisis, the increasing impact of extreme weather events, and treating climate change as a transboundary problem, the EC is taking action at the EU level.
The first climate target was agreed in 2008. – reducing emissions by 20 percent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. in 2014. The EU agreed to cut emissions by 40 percent by 2030. Then in 2023. The EU increased its ambition in this perspective: the European Climate Law legally obligated EU countries to reduce emissions by at least 55 percent. In March 2026, following an agreement with the European Parliament, the Council adopted the revised European Climate Law (as a regulation, it is directly applicable in all member states). It introduced a binding intermediate climate target for 2040 of a 90 percent reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels.
Revision objective and policy options
The goal of the initiative, for which consultations are currently underway, is to review the EU’s climate policy framework to enable additional domestic investment and implementation of policies necessary to meet the tentatively agreed EU climate target for 2040 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
The review process will assess the role of national climate targets for the post-2030 period, including their scope, distribution, governance, and how they will complement existing market instruments (e.g., EU emissions trading schemes and EU regulatory instruments). In addition, the need for a post-2030 framework for renewable energy and energy efficiency will be analyzed.An assessment is also assumed:
- greater flexibility in and between sectors and instruments;
- realistic contribution of carbon sequestration to emissions reductions, and special features of the LULUCF sector, including resilience and conservation;
- the need to include livestock emission reductions in the scope of the regulation on carbon sequestration and carbon-intensive techniques.
As part of the initiative, the European Commission will consider the economic, social and environmental impacts of various options for national targets for 2040 and the extent to which they complement relevant EU targets and measures, as well as related EU enabling measures, including voluntary market-based approaches for agricultural and forestry supply chains, in line with the regulation on carbon sequestration and carbon-intensive techniques.
The initiative will propose a long-term EU budget for 2028-2034 and estimate how national climate targets can encourage public spending at the national level.
Planned effects and impacts of the revision
It is expected that the initiative taken, among other things:
- Will support EU climate action;
- Will bring environmental benefits;
- will assess how national policies in the targeted sectors can be linked to efforts to create or develop infrastructure, particularly energy, hydrogen andCO2 networks, and affect land use practices.
Planned impacts, in addition to increased investment in decarbonizing the economy, will be more coordinated and coherent urban planning, based on the integration of nature-based solutions that provide climate and biodiversity benefits, as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in less air pollution, less urban congestion, the emergence of energy-efficient buildings and greener cities.
Impact assessment
As part of the preparation of this initiative, an impact assessment of its implementation will be carried out. It will be based on the experience gained from the implementation of the Effort Sharing Regulation and the LULUCF Regulation, including its evaluation, and the implementation of the Regulation on carbon sequestration and carbon-intensive techniques.
The evaluation will look at social impacts and ways to encourage measures that support the public, including vulnerable households. In addition, synergies with the Social Climate Fund will be explored.
The impact assessment process is expected to begin in Q1 2026.
It is assumed that the EU budget will support a fair transition to enable the achievement of the EU’s 2040 and 2050 goals.
Consultation
The Directorate General for Economic Affairs. The Climate Action Committee encourages all interested parties to participate in the consultations, which will contribute to making the impact assessment process more transparent and accountable.
The task of the consultation is to assess how national targets and efforts, together with increased flexibility and EU enabling measures, can contribute to achieving the required levels of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals leading to the EU’s 2040 climate target.
The EC invites national, regional and local governments, financial institutions, industry, economic organizations, trade unions, consumers and labor associations, NGOs and academia to participate in the public consultation.
The initiative is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026.
pic. main: Vinu T/Unsplash
