What’s next in Europe? – Agenda of European climate and energy policy
You can find additional information on European climate and energy events and developments in the European Parliament’s , in the , and in the .
2025
Date | 1 January |
Event |
Poland takes over EU Council presidency |
Subject |
of Poland's Council presidency. "The Polish presidency will support activities strengthening European security in all its dimensions: external, internal, economic, information, energy, food and health," said Adam Szłapka, minister for European Union affairs. The Polish Presidency it will promote actions aimed at a full withdrawal from imports of Russian energy sources. It will undertake steps with a view to reduce energy prices in the EU and revise the EU's energy security framework to enhance the physical security and cybersecurity of energy infrastructure in the EU and its neighbourhood and ensure a level playing field for the development of each clean energy source in the EU. It will also focus on agriculture. The Council represents the executive governments of member states, and the presidency rotates among EU member states every six months. It is not only responsible for setting policy priorities and planning and chairing meetings among ministers and heads of government, but must also try and reach agreement on laws with the EU’s other legislative bodies – the Commission and the Parliament. Member states holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. Poland will cooperate with the following presidencies Denmark and Cyprus. |
Press contact | media.communication@kprm.gov.pl, or |
Date | 6 May |
Event | European Commission Roadmap towards ending Russian energy imports |
Subject |
As part of the Clean Industrial Deal, energy and housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen putting forward a roadmap towards ending Russian energy imports. It was meant to be presented on 26 March, but the due in part to uncertainty around U.S. President Donald Trump's planned tariffs, with energy trade potentially factoring into EU-U.S. trade talks, EU sources told Reuters. |
Press contact | Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, |
Date | 12 - 13 May |
Event | |
Subject |
The Polish government invites EU energy ministers to Warsaw. |
Press contact | Marek Pogorzelski, spokesperson, Polish ministry of climate and environment, marek.pogorzelski@klimat.gov.pl, +48 532 447 948 |
Date | 19 May |
Event | |
Subject | UK prime minister Keir Starmer will host European Council president Antonio Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for a . |
Press contact | Maria Tomasik() |
Date | 22 May |
Event | (internal market and industry) |
Subject |
EU member state ministers responsible for industry and the internal market come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Ferran Tarradellas Espuny () |
Date | 26 May |
Event | |
Subject |
EU member state agriculture ministers come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Miruna Georgescu () |
Date | Summer 2025 |
Event | European Commission proposal to amend EU climate law |
Subject |
The Commission will present a legislative proposal to amend the union's climate law and set a new climate target for 2040. In 2024, the Commission already recommended that the EU reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040. It will now follow up with a legislative proposal that must then be negotiated among member states and with the European Parliament. The EU's new NDC (nationally determined contribution -- its climate target for 2035 under UN rules) will also need to be decided and there is an ongoing debate about how it should relate to the new 2040 target. Once the new target is set, the union will have to reform much of its energy and climate legislation to make it fit for reaching it. The European Commission has not given a specific date for the 2040 target’s publication. In its , the Commission states that the European Climate Law will be amended by the end of Q1 this year. However, climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra it would be delayed to "before summer" 2025. This is due to opposition to the proposal from several sides. [Read our Q&A about the 2040 climate target here.] |
Press contact | Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, |
Date | 4 June |
Event | European CommissionEuropean Water Resilience Strategy |
Subject | The Commission said: "Sustainable water management is one of the biggest challenges we face in relation to the impact of climate change. Floods and droughts are becoming the norm, as shown by the tragic events that have affected Europe in recent years. On water resilience, we will take a source-to-sea approach and consider the widely different challenges in our regions and in sectors to ensure that sources of water are properly managed, scarcity and pollution are addressed, and to increase the competitiveness of our water industry. |
Press contact | Maëlys Dreux, |
Date | 5 June |
Event | |
Subject |
EU member state transport ministers come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Dimosthenis Mammonas () |
Date | 15 - 17 June |
Event | |
Subject |
The Polish government invites EU agriculture ministers to Warsaw. |
Press contact | Renata Kania-Miętusiewicz, Head of Press Division, Polish agriculture ministry, renata.kania-mietusiewicz@minrol.gov.pl, +48 22 623 15 48 |
Date | 16 June |
Event | |
Subject |
EU member state energy ministers come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Peristera Dimopoulou () |
Date | 17 June |
Event | |
Subject |
EU member state environment ministers come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Peristera Dimopoulou() |
Date | 23 - 24 June |
Event | |
Subject |
EU member state agriculture ministers come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Miruna Georgescu () |
Date | 26 - 27 June |
Event | - meeting of EU heads of state and government |
Subject |
EU member state heads of state and government come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Maria Tomasik() |
Date | 30 June |
Event | Member states to Commission |
Subject | The EU decided to create a Social Climate Fund alongside the new emissions trading system (ETS 2) for buildings and transport. It will provide EU Member States with dedicated funding so that the most affected vulnerable groups.All measures and investments governments aim to introduce will be compiled in national Social Climate Plans following a country-wide consultation. Member States have to submit these plans to the European Commission by June 2025. The Commission will assess the plans and disburse payments to the Member States only if the milestones and targets set in the plans are achieved. |
Press contact | Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, |
Date | 1 July |
Event |
Denmark takes over EU Council presidency |
Subject |
The Council represents the executive governments of member states, and the presidency rotates among EU member states every six months. It is not only responsible for setting policy priorities and planning and chairing meetings among ministers and heads of government, but must also try and reach agreement on laws with the EU’s other legislative bodies – the Commission and the Parliament. Member states holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. Preceding presidency Poland and following presidency Cyprus cooperate with Denmark. [] |
Press contact |
Date | mid-July |
Event | EU - China summit |
Subject | Chinese and EU officials have reportedly agreed to hold a joint government summit in 2025. Officials agreed that “the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties could be a good opportunity for a successful EU-China Summit later in the year,” reported Politico. No date has yet been announced, but a spokesperson for European Council president António Costa said it would likely take place in mid-July, in China. |
Press contact | Maria Tomasik() |
Date | Q3 |
Event | European Commission Sustainable Transport Investment Plan |
Subject | The Commission will come forward with a Sustainable Transport Investment Plan, a strategic framework for supporting sustainable transport fuels production and distribution. It will include measures to support the accelerated roll-out of recharging and refuelling infrastructure and dedicated green trade and investment partnerships with third countries on renewable and low-carbon transport fuels. |
Press contact | Anna Wartberger, |
Date | Q3 |
Event | European CommissionPact for the Mediterranean |
Subject |
The creation of a European Commissioner for the Mediterranean – held by Croatian politician Dubravka Šuica since the end of 2024 – is part of a renewed push to give the region more play, after . Šuica with working out a “New Pact for the Mediterranean”, including a “Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Clean Tech Cooperation Initiative” to increase renewable energy trading and boost clean tech manufacturing in the region. |
Press contact | Gioia Franchellucci, |
Date | Q4 |
Event | European Commission Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act |
Subject |
The Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator act will support energy intensive industries and is dedicated to simplifying legislation in order to streamline permit granting, authorisations and reporting requirements and make investment easier in Europe. [This factsheet answers key questions on the upcoming Clean Industrial Deal.] |
Press contact | Lea Zuber, |
Date | Q4 |
Event | European Commission proposal to revise the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation |
Subject |
As part of efforts to streamline and simplify corporate sustainability rules, the Commission will also propose changes to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation. This is interlinked with proposals forthe Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the EU Taxonomy Regulation, presented earlier in the year. |
Press contact | Marta Perez-Cejuela Romero, |
Date | 1 October |
Event | |
Subject |
The Danish government invites EU member state heads of state and government to Denmark. |
Press contact | Maria Tomasik () |
Date | 23 - 24 October |
Event | - meeting of EU heads of state and government |
Subject |
EU member state heads of state and government come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Maria Tomasik() |
Date | 18 - 19 December |
Event | - meeting of EU heads of state and government |
Subject |
EU member state heads of state and government come together for one of several regular annual meetings. |
Press contact | Maria Tomasik() |