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Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU Focuses on the Green and Just Transition as a Key Action Area and Will Work to Explore Further the Potential of CCUS
5th January 2024
Between 1 January and 30 June 2024, Belgium will be holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU). This institution brings together the ministers from the 27 EU Member States.
According to its detailed programme, the Belgian Presidency will focus its work and priorities on six thematic areas, one of which aims to pursue a green and just transition to a climate-neutral society to address the climate change crisis.
In this context, the Belgian Presidency will:
- Analyse the current European framework’s effectiveness in planning, building, and funding infrastructures, including CO2 transport;
- Promote credible certification system and market platforms for hydrogen and collaborate with the European Commission to explore the prospects of a potential EU hydrogen import strategy;
- Close interinstitutional negotiations on the proposals for a Union certification framework for carbon removals and Net-Zero Industry Act;
- Support the debate on the EU climate target for 2040 and the Industrial Carbon Management strategy;
- Explore the untapped potential of the bioeconomy, circular manufacturing and materials, hydrogen and CCUS as integral components of a sustainable net-zero European industry.
Based on the system known as the ‘trio Presidency’ established by the Lisbon Treaty, the Belgian Presidency is part of the eighteen-month cycle inaugurated by the Spanish Presidency (second half of 2023) and running until the end of the Hungarian Presidency (second half of 2024).
Over the next six months, the country’s officials will be leading meetings and discussions within the Council of the EU, as well as representing the latter in its relations with the other EU institutions. The Presidency of Belgium will also be responsible for preparing the strategic agenda of the EU given the next institutional cycle (2024-2029).