A new climate and energy package for the period up to 2030 will be one of the European Commission's main environmental initiatives for next year, according to a work programme adopted by the EU executive on Tuesday afternoon.
Other environmental measures planned for 2013 include a revision of waste legislation. The review, which was announced earlier in the commission's October paper on industrial policy, aims to develop new markets for waste and recycling.
The EU executive also confirmed it will review air quality legislation. A European Environment Agency report published last week has shown the NEC directive, which will be revised in 2013, has not led to a dramatic fall in eutrophic and acidified areas.
In addition, the commission will issue a policy paper on the safety of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction in Europe. Three EU studies focusing on different aspects of shale gas exploration were released in September.
In the transport sector, a further loosening of restrictions on road cabotage will be proposed as recommended by an EU advisory group in June. The group argued this would help cut CO2 emissions and boost the competitiveness of the freight sector.
During a debate in the European Parliament on Tuesday, Spanish MEP Enrique Guerrero Salom observed that, while new measures were always welcomed, the EU executive must make sure it delivers them. According to him, about half of the measures listed in the 2012 work programme have not yet been adopted.
Speaking for the commission, Maros Sefcovic insisted that most of the commission's goals for this year would be attained, pointing out that several other planned measures will be delivered before the end of the year.
Polish MEP Tadeusz Cymański of the conservative EFD group said the new climate and energy package should be rejected. Poland is heavily relying on coal for power production and such a package would be detrimental to its economy, he stressed.
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