2023-07-06 15:34:10
According to the will of the European Commission, the EU states and the EU are to withdraw from a controversial international energy agreement in a coordinated manner. The decision was the result of talks with the member states, a spokesman for the Brussels authority told the German Press Agency on Thursday. Negotiations on modernization had previously failed. Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) welcomed the proposal for an EU-wide exit.
It is clear that staying in the non-modernized contract is not an option, the commission spokesman said. In the next few days, the Commission wants to present proposals for a coordinated exit.
“I welcome the proposal for an EU-wide exit from the Energy Charter Treaty,” said Minister for Climate Protection Gewessler in a statement sent to APA. As early as November, following the failure to modernize the contract, the federal government agreed to consider an exit because there were “fundamental criticisms” of the Energy Charter Treaty. “It continues to protect investments in fossil oil and gas. This limits our ability to act in the fight once morest the climate crisis. That cannot be our goal,” said the minister. More and more EU countries have already decided to withdraw from the treaty. “I think it is now the right time for Austria to take this step quickly.”
The Commission actually wanted to modernize the Energy Charter Treaty. The agreement, which came into force in 1998, was created to protect investments in gas, oil and coal projects and has long been the target of criticism from environmental organizations. It allows investors, for example, to sue states before arbitral tribunals. The intention behind this is to give companies security when investing.
The German government decided to leave Germany at the end of last year. Other EU countries such as France, the Netherlands and Spain have also announced their withdrawal, and Italy withdrew in 2016. However, the phase-out period is 20 years. A joint exit from the EU must be decided following the Commission proposals have been submitted by the EU countries and with the approval of the EU Parliament.
The German Federal Court of Justice is currently dealing with the question of whether EU states can stop arbitration proceedings before national courts on the basis of the Energy Charter Treaty. Among other things, it is regarding high investments by the RWE and Uniper groups in Dutch coal-fired power plants. A verdict is expected at the end of July.
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