Regulation (EU) 2023/839 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/841 as regards the scope, simplifying the reporting and compliance rules, and setting out the targets of the Member States for 2030, and Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 as regards improvement in monitoring, reporting, tracking of progress and review

Summary:

Regulation (EU) 2023/839 - adopted by the co-legislators on 19 April 2023 - introducing amendments to Regulation (EU) 2018/841 and Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in the framework of the climate objectives as enshrined in the European Climate Law. This is a text with EEA relevance.

Further information:

Regulation (EU) 2018/841 sets out the commitments of the Member States of the European Union (EU) for the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector that contribute to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement and meeting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target for the EU for the period 2021-2030. It also lays down rules for the accounting of emissions and removals from LULUCF and for checking compliance of Member States. Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 ensures the implementation of the Energy Union strategy in a coordinated and coherent manner.

This Regulation strengthens the contribution of the LULUCF sector in view of the EU's objectives as enshrined in the European Climate Law. A governance mechanism is also introduced, including the measures to be taken if a Member State does not meet its national target for the period 2026-2030.

The draft law was adopted by the European Commission on 14 July 2021, as part of the so-called Fit for 55 legislative package. The plenary of the European Parliament endorsed a negotiating position on 8 June 2022. The Council of the European Union adopted its general approach on 29 June. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text for this file was reached on 11 November. This was formally endorsed by the Parliament on 14 March 2023 and by the Council on 28 March. The Act was signed by the co-legislators on 19 April 2023 and published in the Official Journal on 21 April 2023.

Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2021)554: Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulations (EU) 2018/841 as regards the scope, simplifying the compliance rules, setting out the targets of the Member States for 2030 and committing to the collective achievement of climate neutrality by 2035 in the land use, forestry and agriculture sector, and (EU) 2018/1999 as regards improvement in monitoring, reporting, tracking of progress and review https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:554:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2021)551: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Subsidiarity Grid https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2021:551:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2021)609: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Impact Assessment Report https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2021:609:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2021)610: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment Report https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2021:610:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) (2021/0201(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2021/0201(COD)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: Amending the Regulation on greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-european-green-deal/file-lulucf-revision

European Commission: DG Climate Action: Land Use, Forestry and Agriculture https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/european-green-deal/delivering-european-green-deal/land-use-forestry-and-agriculture_en

European Commission: Press Release, 14/07/2021: European Green Deal: Commission proposes transformation of EU economy and society to meet climate ambitions https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_3541

European Commission: Questions and Answers - The Effort Sharing Regulation and Land, Forestry and Agriculture Regulation (14 July 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_3543

European Parliament: Press Release, 17/05/2022: Fit for 55: New EU carbon sinks goal will increase 2030 reduction target https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220516IPR29656/

Greens/EFA EP Group: Press Release, 08/06/2022: European Parliament strengthens Commission's Proposal on LULUCF https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/european-parliament-strengthens-commissions-proposal-on-lulucf

S&D EP Group: Newsroom, 08/06/2022: S&Ds: Forests, meadows and moors will help fight climate change thanks to EP vote (LULUCF) https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/newsroom/sds-forests-meadows-and-moors-will-help-fight-climate-change-thanks-ep-vote-lulucf

Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF): News, 08/06/2022: European Parliament adopted the revision of LULUCF regulation https://www.cepf-eu.org/news/european-parliament-adopted-revision-lulucf-regulation

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 29/06/2022: Fit for 55 package: Council reaches general approaches relating to emissions reductions and their social impacts https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/06/29/fit-for-55-council-reaches-general-approaches-relating-to-emissions-reductions-and-removals-and-their-social-impacts/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 11/11/2022: ‘Fit for 55’: provisional agreement sets ambitious carbon removal targets in the land use, land use change and forestry sector https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/11/11/fit-for-55-provisional-agreement-sets-ambitious-carbon-removal-targets-in-the-land-use-land-use-change-and-forestry-sector/

European Parliament: Press Release, 11/11/2022: Fit for 55: Deal on carbon sinks goal will increase EU 2030 climate target https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20221107IPR49206/

European Commission: Press Release, 11/11/2022: European Green Deal: EU agrees to increase carbon removals through land use, forestry and agriculture https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_6784

Finnish Government: Press Release, 11/11/2022: Trilogue reached provisional agreement on Commission’s LULUCF proposal https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-//1410837/trilogue-reached-provisional-agreement-on-commission-s-lulucf-proposal

S&D EP Group: Newsroom, 13/03/2023: S&Ds: Healthy forests and carbon sinks are key to addressing climate emergency https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/newsroom/sds-healthy-forests-and-carbon-sinks-are-key-addressing-climate-emergency

European Parliament: Press Release, 14/03/2023: Parliament adopts new carbon sinks goal that increases EU 2030 climate ambition https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230310IPR77223/

Renew Europe EP Group: News, 14/03/2023: Renew Europe welcomes a clear "Yes" from the European Parliament on two more key drivers of the "Fit for 55" climate package https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/news/2023-03-14/renew-europe-welcomes-a-clear-yes-from-the-european-parliament-on-two-more-key-drivers-of-the-fit-for-55-climate-package

Greens/EFA EP Group: Press Release, 14/03/2023: European Parliament adopts binding targets to increase carbon sinks https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/european-parliament-adopts-binding-targets-to-increase-carbon-sinks

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 28/03/2023: Fit for 55 package: Council adopts regulations on effort sharing and land use and forestry sector https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/03/28/fit-for-55-package-council-adopts-regulations-on-effort-sharing-and-land-use-and-forestry-sector/

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News

EurActiv, 28/01/2022: MEPs ‘far away’ from an agreement on merging forest and agriculture sectors under LULUCF https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/meps-far-away-from-an-agreement-on-merging-forest-and-agriculture-sectors-under-lulucf/

Politico, 16/05/2022: EU climate legislation faces a divided Parliament https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-climate-legislation-faces-a-divided-parliament/

ERR News, 29/06/2022: Official: EU forestry, land plan adopted on better terms for Estonia https://news.err.ee/1608643267/official-eu-forestry-land-plan-adopted-on-better-terms-for-estonia

EurActiv, 11/11/2022: Deal reached on EU law regulating CO2 removals from forestry, land use https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/deal-reached-on-eu-law-regulating-co2-removals-from-forestry-land-use/

Reuters, 11/11/2022: EU agrees law to remove CO2 with woodlands and other carbon sinks https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/eu-agrees-law-remove-co2-with-woodlands-other-carbon-sinks-2022-11-11/

Agriland, 11/11/2022: Council and parliament agree carbon removal target for LULUCF https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/council-and-parliament-agree-carbon-removal-target-for-lulucf/

Politico, 15/11/2022: EU accused of climate accounting tricks https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-accused-climate-accounting-tricks-cop27/

EurActiv, 28/11/2022: Lawmaker: ‘For the first time, we will have an EU-wide active carbon sink policy’ https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/interview/lawmaker-for-the-first-time-we-will-have-an-eu-wide-active-carbon-sink-policy/

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Commentary and Analysis

Institute for Applied Ecology (Oeko Institute): Analysis, 27/01/2022: Analysis of the European Commission proposal for revising the EU LULUCF Regulation https://www.oeko.de/en/publications/p-details/analysis-of-the-european-commission-proposal-for-revising-the-eu-lulucf-regulation

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): Briefing, 22/02/2022: 'Fit for 55' package: Revising the Regulation on land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) - Initial Appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2022)699483

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): At a Glance, 01/06/2022: Revision of the regulation on land use, land-use change and forestry https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2022)729453

Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI): Press Release, 09/06/2022: The EU Parliament shows ambition on forest sinks, not on materials substitution https://www.cepi.org/press-release-the-eu-parliament-shows-ambition-on-forest-sinks-not-on-materials-substitution/

FERN NGO: News, 13/07/2022: RED and LULUCF: EU Council prioritises the short-term interest of wood-based industries over the future of forests https://www.fern.org/publications-insight/red-and-lulucf-eu-council-prioritises-the-short-term-interests-of-wood-based-industries-over-the-future-of-forests-2543/

Climate Action Network (CAN Europe): Press Release, 11/11/2022: EU settles for a paper target to increase carbon absorption in its forest and land https://caneurope.org/eu-settles-for-paper-target-to-increase-carbon-absorption-in-forest-and-land/

Social Europe, 22/12/2022: Legal challenges by NGOs, citizens key to climate battle https://www.socialeurope.eu/legal-challenges-by-ngos-citizens-key-to-climate-battle

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): Briefing, 27/01/2023: Revision of the LULUCF Regulation: Strengthening the role of the land use, land-use change and forestry sector in climate action https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2021)698843

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