Minister Vizjak outlines the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency to the European Commissioner for the Environment

18. 5. 2021

Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning

Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak had a meeting with European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius, the Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety of the European Parliament, Pascal Canfin, and the Director-General for Transport, Energy, Environment and Education at the General Secretariat of the Council, Peter Javorčik. At the meeting, Minister Vizjak presented the programme and priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU in the area of the environment and climate.

Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak with European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius

Minister Vizjak stressed that Slovenia would continue to implement the European Green Deal and pursue the objective to make the EU a driving force in the fight against climate change. In this respect, in July the European Commission plans to present the "Fit for 55" climate and energy legislative package, which will also be discussed at the informal meeting of EU environment ministers in July. The package includes measures to achieve the new climate target for 2030, i.e. reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels. This package is extremely important for the EU, which seeks to send a powerful message to the international community and lead by example in the light of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in November in Glasgow.

As one of the priorities, Minister Vizjak also highlighted biodiversity, under which the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will meet in October in China to reach a collective agreement on an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

In the area of circular economy, Slovenia will continue intensely to consider the proposal for a regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, which is an example of a comprehensive approach to the complete life-cycle of a product.

The minister thanked all three interlocutors for a good discussion, expressing his expectation that the excellent cooperation will continue during the Slovenian Presidency, considering the very comprehensive agenda on the environment and climate change.