French president calls for a ‘regulatory pause’ in the EU

The French president said during an address to representatives of French industry that the EU should declare a “regulatory pause”. In his view, there are already enough legislative provisions at European level on the environment and green energy. The sector now needs sufficient time to implement the measures. For that reason, he said, no new legislation should be proposed for some time.

The EU has been trying for several months to address problems with energy supplies exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and US subsidies for green technologies included in the country’s Inflation Reduction Act.

At the same time, the EU continues to target a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of this decade and climate neutrality by 2050. Various legislative proposals are intended to help achieve these goals, including a proposal to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles after 2035 and new targets for renewable energy.

Macron: Let’s focus on implementing existing legislation

French President Emmanuel Macron said during an address to representatives of French industry that a “regulatory pause” on new environmental proposals would be necessary. This would help achieve the targets and accelerate the decarbonization of industry. An unstable regulatory environment, he said, would only harm investment.

“At European level, we have already adopted many environmental regulatory provisions, more than other countries. Now we should implement them, not make further changes to the rules, or we will lose all our [industrial] players. We must not make further changes to the rules,” said Emmanuel Macron.

Macron did not specify exactly what he meant by a “regulatory pause” or what concrete steps should follow. After his address, officials at the Élysée Palace clarified that the president was not talking about suspending any existing or pending legislation. Nevertheless, Macron’s statement prompted mixed reactions in France and at EU level.

“Any statement that suggests we have already done enough and that this is sufficient is dangerous at this point. We should never send messages calling for a slowdown,” commented Barbara Pompili, former French environment minister.

Energy expert Thomas Pellerin-Carlin says the mixed reactions to Macron’s address may also stem from a misunderstanding. If Macron is proposing that we should focus first and foremost on implementing existing green legislation and the legislation that will be adopted during his term, then, according to Pellerin-Carlin, that is also in line with the European Commission’s discourse. The term “regulatory pause” may not have been the most appropriate choice.