België onthoudt zich nog maar een keer: welk figuur slaat België bij het Europees klimaatbeleid?

België onthoudt zich nog maar een keer: welk figuur slaat België bij het Europees klimaatbeleid?
https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/04/25/belgie-onthoudt-zich-nog-maar-een-keer-waarom-beslist-ons-land/

Translation by deepl:

**Belgium abstains yet again: what figure does Belgium strike in European climate policy?**

Belgium abstained from voting on the new European climate law three times already this morning. Can we still contribute to international climate policy this way, and how does that come across to other countries within Europe? VRT NWS asked two experts. “This weakens Belgium’s position.”

17:13
European member states approved the new major climate law this morning. There will be a carbon price for heating and transport, which concretely means that from 2027 we will pay more for fossil fuels such as gas, heating oil, diesel or petrol.

At the same time, Europe is setting up a social climate fund. Furthermore, shipping and aviation will also have to pay if they emit greenhouse gases, and there will be a border tax to protect companies from competition from countries where regulations around carbon are less strict. In this way, Europe wants to further encourage the transition to a world with much more renewable energy in the fight against global warming.

But Belgium abstained yet again today when voting on three key components: the social climate fund, the carbon price for fossil fuels the border tax. For the umpteenth time. Recently, Professor Hendrik Vos (Ghent University) calculated in the newspaper De Standaard that Belgium had abstained on seven of the last nine votes on a climate dossier. And that was even before today’s vote.

**Why doesn’t our country vote?**

Belgium abstains from these votes because there is no other way. After all, our country often simply does not have a climate position in European discussions.

That lies in the way our country arrives at such a European position. The federal government and the regions have to decide that together by consensus. But for climate issues, the federal government and the regions are not on the same page. While Wallonia, Brussels and the federal government follow the European climate ambitions, Flanders is often on the brakes.

An example: Europe requires Belgium to emit 47 per cent less CO2 by 2030 than in 2005. Wallonia, Brussels and the federal government see this as appropriate, while Flanders only wants to go up to 40 per cent. Flanders is often sceptical about European climate ambitions.

A fortnight ago, for instance, Flemish environment minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) smirkingly called Frans Timmermans a “climate pope”. Timmermans is the vice-president of the European Commission and responsible for European climate policy.

That things often clash on climate dossiers is striking. After all, in other dossiers, cooperation between the regions and the federal government does succeed. For instance, the Cabinets involved are told that cooperation on environmental files does often take place in a constructive atmosphere.

**What does that mean for our country?**

Jos Delbeke is ex-Director-General for Climate at the European Commission. He calls the Belgian attitude “disappointing”, especially since climate warming also offers policy opportunities. Flanders is reluctant to go full steam ahead, Delbeke believes. He gives the example of heat pumps, insulation or more economical driving. That is where he thinks the Flemish level could or should do a bit more.

In Belgium there is a large majority in favour of this, but because of the internal structure it does not come out at European level, which is a pity, Delbeke thinks. “It is actually unacceptable for one level to block this. Surely we should find something on that,” he denounced the complicated Belgian state structure.

The many abstentions undermine Belgium’s position in European negotiations, such as those on the Nature Restoration Act and sustainability, Delbeke warns: “What Belgium is doing now is cutting itself off. Fortunately, our companies are better along than our governments. Think of our windmill companies: here Belgium does have influence.”

Belgium is playing less and less of a role at European level because of its attitude, Delbeke points out: “When coalitions are formed between different countries, it is difficult to be there. This weakens Belgium’s position.”

**How do other countries view Belgium?**

Belgium today was among a very select club of European countries that abstained or voted against the climate laws: Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and Finland. Those countries often adopt a euro-critical stance (like Hungary) or try to defend the interests of their fossil energy sector (Poland).

“The countries voting against are mostly the usual suspects. So it is certainly striking within Europe that Belgium is now sometimes in that list,” says Hendrik Vos, professor of European politics at UGent.

It places Belgium outside the debates, diplomats say. Sitting at the table is give and take, which is part of negotiating. “But if it is clear that you are going to abstain, you also have nothing more to say as far as that give and take is concerned. As a result, we are no longer taken seriously in advance during informal consultations either.”
“We often mirror the northern countries at European level. Of course, we now take the opposite position to that. Those countries go full steam ahead, we put ourselves outside the debate,” Vos outlines.

“There is also little strength in those abstaining or even voting against. You could form alliances with countries that are against. We don’t do that. It would also be difficult, because they are not natural allies of ours within Europe. We don’t have relations with those countries as we do with our neighbours.”