Bratislava – Tomáš Taraba, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment of Slovakia, participated in the EU Council of Environment Ministers meeting in Brussels, where he advocated for solutions aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of Slovakia’s automotive industry within the EU. This information was shared by the Ministry of the Environment’s communication department.
The ministers discussed several key topics, including the recycling rates of plastics in the automotive sector, the management of plastic granules, the consensus on recycling percentages, and the disposal of vehicles at the end of their lifecycle.
During the negotiations, Taraba pushed for a reduction in the mandated recycled plastics percentage from 25% to 15%, aiming to bolster the automotive sector’s competitiveness internationally.
“We also supported the idea of lowering the ambitious and, in some cases, unrealistic targets set for the automotive industry. In this regard, we backed the French proposal to delay penalties for companies failing to meet emission standards; however, we believe this proposal lacks ambition, and we will continue to seek further significant adjustments,” Taraba stated.
Additionally, Taraba attended a coordination meeting with ministers from the V4 countries in Brussels. He defended proposed changes to the European emissions trading system, EU ETS 2, which received support from other member states, including Poland and the Czech Republic. Together with these neighboring countries, he advocated for revisiting previously established decisions regarding the introduction of emissions trading in the transport and building sectors, set for 2027—a move Slovakia has not fully incorporated into its legislation.
“We believe it is critical to safeguard not only European industry but also the living standards of our citizens, and we oppose imposing additional financial burdens on them through extra emission allowances,” Taraba emphasized.
Regarding discussions on the potential reevaluation of the climate target for 2040, as suggested by the European Commission, Slovakia maintains that such changes should be approved unanimously at the level of heads of government rather than through majority voting among ministers. (December 17)
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