The EU Commission has classified nuclear and gas as sustainable investments. Austria is taking action against the taxonomy regulation and is filing a lawsuit.
Austria is suing because of the controversial classification of gas and nuclear power as climate-friendly investments. As announced by Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens), a lawsuit against the taxonomy regulation was filed with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on Friday shortly before the deadline on Monday. This was reported by the daily newspaper “Kurier” in its online edition on Friday. Luxembourg wants to join the lawsuit.
As part of the taxonomy regulation, the EU Commission classified gas and nuclear as “sustainable”. With the taxonomy, the EU Commission wants to determine which financial investments will be considered climate-friendly in the future. This should help mobilize the billions needed for climate change and pave the way for the EU to become climate neutral by 2050.
Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) criticized the EU Commission’s taxonomy decision as a “greenwashing program for nuclear energy and fossil natural gas”. The Commission fulfills “above all the wishes of the nuclear lobby”.
No great chances before the ECJ
In the lawsuit, Austria relies on a report by international experts, according to which nuclear power is not sustainable. However, lawyers do not rate the fact that Austria will get through this line of argument before the ECJ as particularly great. Austria also regards the regulation presented by the EU Commission as legally incorrect. The EU Commission does not have the authority to make such far-reaching political decisions, the argument goes. Austria also cites procedural errors. The EU states would have had too little time to discuss it.
The planned entry into force of the new rules could still be prevented if 20 of the 27 EU states with at least 65 percent of the total EU population voted against them. However, it is unlikely that the member states will still oppose it.
(WHAT)