The European Green Deal

The European Green Deal represents a generational initiative and comprehensive growth strategy with the objective to transform the European Union (EU) into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. Under the slogan Fit for 55, the European Commission has adopted a set of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. The European Green Deal thus does not relate to a single political initiative but rather represents a framework under which a multitude of actions and legislations are being developed and addressed. Since the official communication by the European Commission on 11 December 2019, substantial progress has been achieved on a number of initiatives which will be discussed throughout the present chapter. Still, the effort is ongoing and is constantly adapted to the political environment, e.g. to the current trend on simplifying the regulatory landscape.