European Parliament fails to vote down the Taxonomy

Today, Members of the European Parliament voted on the objection to the European Commission's delegated act on the Taxonomy Regulation. 278 members voted in favour of the objection and 328 voted against, meaning the absolute majority required for a rejection was not reached, and the delegated act was adopted. The governments of Austria and Luxembourg have announced that they will challenge the decision of the Commission in court.

Bas Eickhout MEP, Vice President of the Environment Committee and European Parliament rapporteur for the taxonomy regulation, comments:

"Today is a dark day for the climate and the energy transition. We are sending a disastrous signal to investors and the rest of the world that the EU now recognizes fossil gas and nuclear as sustainable investments. By clearing the way for this delegated act, the EU will have unreliable and greenwashed conditions for green investments in the energy sector.

“We regret that the Commission did not seize the opportunity to move us more rapidly away from fossil gas, especially in the wake of Russia's war against Ukraine. By labeling fossil gas and nuclear as ‘sustainable’, European money can continue to fuel the Russian war of aggression and unsustainable energy projects. This decision will have negative global ramifications, opening the door for governments around the world to label fossil gas ‘green’.

“This was not the right procedure for this highly controversial decision. This vote shows the EU is in dire need of a democratic discussion on our current and future energy mix and networks. By politicising taxonomy, the Commission has allowed Member States like France to impose the interests of certain industries over the needs of the entire EU. It is clear to many, including investors and citizens, that a common EU solution for phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy is desperately needed.”