EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, nominated again for the role, balanced conflicting calls around climate legislation in a hearing today with members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
Some MEPs were in favour of tougher climate legislation, while others demanded delays to targets. Hoekstra defended key climate energy legislation, including EU CO2 reduction targets for cars and vans, while maintaining a cautious approach on expansion of the EU emissions trading system (ETS) to new sectors.
Hoekstra committed to a 2026 ETS review that touches upon maritime, aviation, municipal waste and negative emissions, in response to a question from German centre-right EPP MEP Peter Liese, who has been a key parliament negotiator for ETS reforms.
"Negative emissions are a cornerstone of making it to net zero. I'll absolutely look into the ramifications, whether this could be included," said Hoekstra, commissioner-designate for climate, net-zero and clean growth. If international efforts to reduce aviation emissions do not deliver, Hoekstra is also open to an ETS that equally impacts EU and international aviation.
Hoekstra underlined the pivotal importance for "predictability" of legislation for industry, referencing certain firms' concern at a 12-month delay to the bloc's deforestation regulation. Hoekstra promised a "dialogue" with the car industry about sticking to CO2 standards for cars and vans and the phase-out, from 2035, of new vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE). Hoekstra is "all in" for ensuring the EU car industry's success. But the Dutch politician is reticent about delaying penalties for carmakers that do not meet CO2 standards from 2025.
For biofuels and e-fuels, Hoekstra does not want to change current EU legislation. The EU should not open the "box that was closed" by EU legislation, notably with a 2035 phase-out that only foresees use of the ICE with non-biogenic CO2 neutral fuels. "I feel there is a bright future for biofuels. We need more, particularly in many other domains," he said, equally noting that the EU needs to "focus first and foremost on electrification".
And Hoekstra could give no clear deadline for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies in the EU, but said he would do his best to create transparency on the issue.
Speaking notes prepared in advance of the hearing already indicated a cautious approach to new elements in future climate policy. Hoekstra underlined the need for a "business case" for decarbonisation in agriculture and forestry, mirroring the approach taken by EU agriculture commissioner-designate Christophe Hansen.
