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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Remarks by Commissioner Hoekstra at the ENVI Council Luxembourg, 25 June 2026 Ladies and gentlemen, Very good evening, I have been thanking you more often for your tenacity. Thank you very much for being here. This morning at the doorstep, I said that it is very timely to meet this week and speak about climate change and climate policy. We are all feeling the effe...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Remarks by Commissioner Hoekstra at the ENVI Council Luxembourg, 25 June 2026 Ladies and gentlemen, Very good evening, I have been thanking you more often for your tenacity. Thank you very much for being here. This morning at the doorstep, I said that it is very timely to meet this week and speak about climate change and climate policy. We are all feeling the effects of a truly major heatwave that is sweeping across much of Europe right now. Temperatures across the EU are soaring – breaking records in many countries. While we don't know the cause of today's temperature rise, we do know that climate change causes base temperatures to increase. Unfortunately, we will see more and more of these adverse weather events as we go. Let me walk you through the three main points discussed today. First, we have a very good conversation on CO2 emission standards for cars. The proposal the Commissioner has put on the table is crystal clear. I have shared with you before what I think the merit of this proposal is. Of course, there have been very important developments in the outside world. Electric vehicles are gaining momentum in a way few would have expected half a year ago. If you look at the first four months of this year, 20% of the new cars sold in the EU are now electric. Among the largest markets, over the same period, the share of EVs increased truly significantly (like- for-like, comparing the same period of last year to the period this year): France (+48%), Italy (+72%), Germany (+41%), and Spain (+41%). Impressive numbers. Interestingly enough, it already started before the war between the US and Iran, so part of it was already in the numbers in January, but of course the situation that we were in with fossil fuel imports further enhanced this transition. There is substantial support for making zero- or low-emissions and Made in the EU a pre-requisite for cars benefiting from public financial support. That was one of the main points of today. It's pivotal to make sure that flexibilities are linked to more low-carbon steel Made in the Union. This is also very much about the EU's broader competitiveness agenda the Commission and the Union are pursuing. Ultimately, the idea behind the package is to maintain investment predictability in the electric sector, drive down emissions and stay on track for our climate goals. Then on COP31. We need long term reform, paired with short term pragmatism. Big thanks to the Cyprus Presidency for all the work, the conversations we have been having on the content, on how to move forwards, on how to have the conversation with our friends from Australia but also the UN about this process. In terms of content, we all agree that we need to go all in on electrification. The energy transition and electrification, as we saw this week in London, is actually accelerating. We plan to use the COP as a moment to show how the Paris Agreement is implemented. Implementation is the name of the game in any case. Our Member States will host pavilions, show the investments and deals by our companies on green technologies and that the European Union is a reliable partner all across the board. We need to show and we will show a united front at COP31, be ambitious but also firm about what we want. Roadmaps and the initiative on phasing out fossil fuels are exactly the types of coalitions of the willing that we seek to form. This year is not about finance, and it is very clear from our discussion today. On the COP, just to echo what the Minister just said, any division between Member States in terms of the way they are treated is to the Union unacceptable. This is a conference organised by the UN. If you decide to become the host, there is no place for national diplomacy. You either decide to organise, or you decide not to organise. If you decide to organise, that is one of the repercussions. We will be crystal clear to the Turkish Presidency, to the Australians, and also to the UN what our stance is on this. Then on c limate resilience. We had a very good discussion on climate resilience and heard a truly compelling report from the EEA. As I have shared with you before, no need to give you the usual talk on the need for resilience together with the need for more decarbonisation. The European Environment Agency has been crystal clear. The EU is still too fragmented: we have gaps in data availability, uneven preparedness and capacities, and unclear responsibilities between the European, national, regional and local levels. That confirms that our Integrated Framework on climate resilience is very much needed. Climate resilience is an investment in our security, sovereignty, and competitiveness. Last but not least, I want to thank the Cyprus Presidency for the amazing work they have been doing. They were very proactive. I wanted to thank you, dear Minister, for the great cooperation and the way you have been pushing all the files forward. Thank you! SPEECH/26/1466 Press contacts: Anna-Kaisa ITKONEN (+32 2 29 57501) Ana CRESPO PARRONDO (+32 2 29 81325) General public inquiries: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 67 89 10 11 or by email
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