Estonian parlt select committee to discuss socio-economic impact of EU directives

TALLINN - The Estonian parliament's state budget control select committee will discuss the European Union climate package, which aims to reduce member states' carbon emissions by 55 percent by 2030, at a public sitting on Monday.

The European Commission's climate and energy legislation package, known as the "Fit for 55" package, aims to align the European Union's climate and energy legislation with the goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 55 percent and ensuring a smooth transition towards EU-wide climate neutrality by 2050. The areas covered by the package are climate, energy and fuels, transport, buildings, land use and forestry.

State budget control select committee chairman Urmas Reinsalu said that numerous justified questions have arisen following the EU legislation related to the green turn regarding the burden that its enforcement will entail on people and the economy.

"We need to get an overview of the analysis that the government has at its disposal today, which would also be the basis for assessing which legal acts should be revised in the interests of Estonia," Reinsalu said.

State Secretary Keit Kasemets, Minister of Energy and the Environment Andres Sutt, the Climate Ministry's deputy secretary general for the living environment and circular economy Ivo Jaanisoo, Estonian Traders Association manager Nele Peil, Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry director general Mait Palts, acting head of the European Commission Representation in Estonia Ave Schank-Lukas, Auditor General Janar Holm and National Audit Office communications chief Priit Simson have been summoned to attend the sitting. The state secretary and minister of energy and the environment have informed the committee that they are unable to attend the sitting.

The committee sitting begins at 1:15 p.m. and will be broadcast online.