Statement on the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty

The EU aims to become the indisputable climate leader and the world’s first climate-neutral region. The European Green Deal and the proposed EU Climate Law are some of the most ambitious known policy instruments to combat climate change.

However, the little-known Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is threatening the climate ambition of the EU domestically and internationally. The EU and its Member States ratified the Treaty with the aim to strengthen the EU's energy security by ensuring a continuous supply of fossil fuels from the East to the West.

Not only did the “raison d’être” of the ECT became obsolete since Russia's withdrawal from the ​ ​ Treaty in 2009.Today, the ECT is a serious threat to Europe’s climate neutrality target and more broadly to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. By protecting foreign investments in fossil fuels by means of the highly controversial Investor-State-Dispute-Settlement (ISDS) mechanism, the ECT protects foreign investments in greenhouse gas emissions and multiplies the cost of the ecological transition. EU citizens are democratically calling for ambitious climate action, but are unknowingly funding the life insurance that the ECT provides to fossil fuels investors.

By 2050, cumulative greenhouse gas emissions protected by the ECT, if fossil fuels are not phased-out, would be equivalent to one-third of the remaining global Carbon budget for the ​ period 2018-2050.

Furthermore, the cost of the continuation of the ECT is higher than the historic EU recovery fund agreed in July. On one hand, stranded fossil fuels assets protected by the ECT would potentially reach at least €2.15 trillion by 2050 if fossil fuels are not phased-out from the ECT binding investment protection. On the other hand, the potential cost of ISDS claims could reach at least €1.3 trillion by 2050 out of which 42% will be paid by EU taxpayers.

The Energy Charter Treaty is neither consistent with the European Green Deal, nor with the proposed EU climate law and national carbon neutrality targets, nor with the EIB energy lending policy and the EU taxonomy for sustainable investment. Phasing-out fossil fuels from the ECT investment protection mechanism is for us a prerequisite for the negotiations on the modernisation of the ECT.

We, Members of the European and National Parliaments, require EU negotiators to ensure that the provisions in the ECT that protect foreign investment in fossil fuels are deleted and thus removed from the ECT. Similarly, ISDS provisions need to be scrapped or fundamentally reformed and limited. If this is not achieved at the end of the 3rd ​ negotiation round planned for the autumn, we ask EU Member States to explore pathways to jointly withdraw from the ECT by the end of 2020.

Our priority is to ensure the EU and its Member States are fully aligned with the Paris Agreement and EU priorities. The ECT risks our climate future and every step must be taken to ensure the EU strengthens its climate action, not undermines it.

Signatories

European Parliament

1. Maria ARENA, S&D,

2. , GUE/NGL, France

3. , Greens/EFA, Belgium

4. , Greens/EFA,

5. Pascal DURAND, Renew Europe, France

6. , S&D, France

7. Helmut SCHOLZ, GUE/NGL, Germany

8. Alviina ALAMETSÄ, Greens/EFA, Finland 9. François ALFONSI Greens/EFA France 10. , Greens/EFA, Germany 11. Eric ANDRIEU, S&D, France 12. , S&D, Luxembourg 13. , Greens/EFA, Denmark 14. , S&D, Germany 15. , GUE/NGL, Spain 16. , S&D, Italy 17. Stéphane BIJOUX, Renew Europe, France 18. Benoît BITEAU, Greens/EFA, France 19. Malin BJÖRK, GUE/NGL, Sweden 20. Vilija BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ, S&D, Lithuania 21. , Greens/EFA, Germany 22. , GUE/NGL,France 23. Marc BOTENGA, GUE/NGL, Belgium 24. Sylvie BRUNET, Renew Europe, France 23. , S&D, Germany 26. Reinhard BÜTIKOFER, Greens/EFA, Germany 27. Pascal CANFIN, Renew Europe, France 28. Damien CAREME, Greens/EFA, France 29. Fabio Massimo CASTALDO, NI Italy 30. Catherine CHABAUD, Renew Europe, France 31. , S&D, 32. Leila CHAIBI, GUE/NGL, France 33. , S&D, Romania 34. Antoni COMÍN, NI, Spain 35. , Greens/EFA, France 36. , NI, Italy 37. Katalin CSEH, Renew Europe, 38. Ciarán CUFFE, Greens/EFA, Ireland 39. Jakop G. DALUNDE, Greens/EFA, Sweden 40. Gwendoline DELBOS-CORFIELD, Greens/EFA, France 41. , Greens/EFA, France 42. , Greens/EFA, Netherlands 43. , GUE/NGL, Germany 44. , NI, Italy 45. Giuseppe FERRANDINO, S&D, Italy 46. , Greens/EFA, Germany 47. , Greens/EFA, Germany 48. Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, S&D, France 49. Sandro GOZI, Renew Europe, France 50. , Greens/EFA, France 51. , Greens/EFA, Portugal 52. José GUSMÃO, GUE/NGL, Portugal 53. , Greens/EFA, Germany 54. Martin HÄUSLING, Greens/EFA, Germany 55. , S&D, 56. Martin HOJSÍK, Renew Europe, Slovakia 57. Pär HOLMGREN, Greens/EFA, Sweden 58. Irena JOVEVA, Renew Europe, 59. , Greens/EFA, France 60. , S&D, Netherlands 61. Fabienne KELLER, Renew Europe, France 62. Petros KOKKALISGUE/NGL, Greece 63. Dietmar KÖSTER S&D, Germany 64. , Greens/EFA, Belgium 65. Pierre LARROUTUROU, S&D, France 66. Javi LOPEZ, S&D, Spain 67. , Greens/EFA Germany 68. , GUE/NGL, Portugal 69. , GUE/NGL, France 70. Nora MEBAREK, S&D, France 71. , Greens/EFA, Luxembourg 72. , S&D, Italy 73. , Greens/EFA, Germany 74. Niklas NIENAß, Greens/EFA, Germany 75. Ville NIINISTÖ, Greens/EFA, Finland 76. , S&D, Germany 77. , GUE/NGL, France 78. Grace O'SULLIVAN, Greens/EFA, Ireland 79. , Greens/EFA, Germany 80. , NI, Italy 81. Anne-Sophie PELLETIER, GUE/NGL, France 82. Kira Marie PETER-HANSEN, Greens/EFA, Denmark 83. , GUE/NGL, Spain 84. Clara PONSATÍ, NI, Spain 85. Carles PUIGDEMONT, NI, Spain 86. , S&D, Austria 87. , GUE/NGL, Spain 88. I GINER, Greens/EFA, Spain 89. Michèle RIVASI, Greens/EFA, France 90. María Eugenia RODRÍGUEZ PALOP, GUE/NGL, Spain 91. Inmaculada RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, S&D, Spain 92. Sandor RONAI, S&D, Hungary 93. , Greens/EFA, France 94. , Greens/EFA, France 95. , S&D, Austria 96. , S&D, Germany 97. Michal ŠIMECKA, Renew Europe, Slovakia 98. Günther SIDL, S&D, Austria 99. Ivan Vilibor SINČIĆ, NI, 100. Jordi SOLÉ, Greens/EFA, Spain 101. , S&D, Netherlands 102. , Greens/EFA, France 103. Miguel URBAN CRESPO, GUE/NGL, Spain 104. , Greens/EFA, Spain 105. Marie Pierre VEDRENNE, Renew Europe, France 106. , S&D, Belgium 107. , Greens/EFA, Netherlands 108. , Greens/EFA, Austria 109. RUIZ, GUE/NGL, Spain 110. , GUE/NGL, Denmark 111. , Greens/EFA, Austria 112. , GUE/NGL, Ireland 113. Maria WALSH, EPP, Ireland 114. , Greens/EFA, Germany 115. Tiemo WÖLKEN, S&D, Germany 116. , Greens/EFA, France 117. Chrysoula ZACHAROPOULOS, Renew Europe, France

National Parliaments

1. , Die Linke, Germany 2. Outi ALANKO-KAHILUOTO, Greens, Finland 3. Miquel José AUBA FLEIX, ERC, Spain 4. Clémentine AUTAIN, LFI, France 5. , Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany 6. Delphine BAGARRY, EDS, France 7. Sara BAILAC ARDANUY, ERC, Spain 8. Erwan BALANANT, Modem, France 9. , Die Linke, Germany 10. , Die Linke, Germany 11. Montserrat BASSA COLL, ERC, Spain 12. Hugues BAYET, Parti socialiste, Belgium 13. Sandra BECKERMAN, Socialistische Partij, Netherlands 14. Olivier BIERIN, Ecolo, Belgium 15. , Die Linke, Germany 16. Jean-Louis BRICOUT, SOC, France 17. , Die Linke, Germany 18. Miquel CAMINAL CERDA, ERC, Spain 19. Joan CAPDEVILA I ESTEVE, ERC, Spain 20. Fabiola CARDOSO, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal 21. Jose Maria CARDOSO, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal 22. Maria CARVALHO DANTAS, ERC, Spain 23. Laura CASTEL FORT, ERC, Spain 24. Xavier CASTELLANA GAMISANS, ERC, Spain 25. Jörg CEZANNE, Die Linke, Germany 26. Annie CHAPELIER, EDS, France 27. Željko CIGLER, Party, Slovenia 28. Samuel COGOLATI, Ecolo, Belgium 29. Jean Charles COLAS-ROY, LREM, France 30. Éric COQUEREL, LFI, France 31. Mirella CORTES DES, ERC, Spain 32. Yolaine DE COURSON, EDS, France 33. Sandra CUNHA, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal 34. Alain DAVID, SOC, France 35. , Die Linke, Germany 36. Katharina DRÖGE, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany 37. Frédérique DUMAS, L&T, France 38. Pablo ECHENIQUE ROBBA, Unidas Podemos, Spain 39. Xavier Francesc ERITJIA CURIO , ERC, Spain 40. , Die Linke, Germany 41. Adelina ESCANDELL GRASES, ERC, Spain 42. Olivier FAURE, SOC, France 43. , Die Linke, Germany 44. Isabel FRANCO CARMONA, Unidas Podemos, Spain 45. , Die Linke, Germany 46. Jean Luc FUGIT, LREM, France 47. , Die Linke, Germany 48. Guillaume GAROT, SOC, France 49. , Die Linke, Germany 50. Antonio GOMEZ-REINO VARELA, Unidas Podemos, Spain 51. Lorenz GÖSTA BEUTIN, Die Linke, Germany 52. Inés GRANOLLERS CUNILLERA, ERC, Spain 53. Txema GUIJARRO GARCIA, Unidas Podemos, Spain 54. , Die Linke, Germany 55. André HAHN, Die Linke, Germany 56. Lukas HAMMER, Die Grünen, Austria 57. Heike HÄNSEL, Die Linke, Germany 58. Atte HARJANNE, Greens, Finland 59. Satu HASSI, Greens, Finland 60. Yannick HAURY, LREM, France 61. Julia HERR, SPÖ, Austria 62. , Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany 63. Matthias HÖHN, Die Linke, Germany 64. , Die Linke, Germany 65. , Die Linke, Germany 66. Chantal JOURDAN, SOC, France 67. , Die Linke, Germany 68. , Die Linke, Germany 69. Anissa KHEDHER , LREM, France 70. Boštjan KORAZIJA, The Left Party, Slovenia 71. Miha KORDIS, The Left Party, Slovenia 72. Sylvia KOTTING-UHL, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany 73. , Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany 74. Merja KYLLÖNEN, Left Alliance, Finland 75. François Michel LAMBERT, L&T, France 76. Célia DE LAVERGNE, LREM, France 77. , Die Linke, Germany 78. Sandrine LE FEUR, LREM, France 79. Marie LECOCQ, Ecolo, Belgium 80. , Die Linke, Germany 81. , Die Linke, Germany 82. Gérard LESEUL, SOC, France 83. Pia LOHIKOSKI, Left Alliance, Finland 84. Juan Antonio LOPEZ DE URALDE, Unidas Podemos, Spain 85. , Die Linke, Germany 86. Laurence MAILLART-MEHAIGNERIE, LREM, France 87. Joan MARGALL SASTRE, ERC, Spain 88. Jordi MARTI DEULOFEU, ERC, Spain 89. Robert MASIH NAHAR, ERC, Spain 90. Rosa María MEDEL PEREZ, Unidas Podemos, Spain 91. , Die Linke, Germany 92. Luka MESEC, The Left Party, Slovenia 93. Marjolaine MEYNIER-MILLEFERT, LREM, France 94. , SPD, Germany 95. , SPD, Germany 96. , Die Linke, Germany 97. Cornelia MÖHRING, Die Linke, Germany 98. Mariana MORTÁGUA, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal 99. Philippe NAILLET, SOC, France 100. Marie NOËLLE BATTISTEL, SOC, France 101. , Die Linke, Germany 102. Joan Josep NUET PUJALS, EuiA, Spain 103. Matthieu ORPHELIN, EDS, France 104. Mathilde PANOT, LFI, France 105. Nelson PERALTA, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal 106. Elisenda PERES ESTEVE, ERC, Spain 107. , Die Linke, Germany 108. Benedicte PETELLE, LREM, France 109. Valérie PETIT, Agir Ensemble, France 110. Damien PICHEREAU, LREM, France 111. Bernat PICORNELL GRENZNER, ERC,Spain 112. Christine PIRES BEAUNE, SOC, France 113. Gerardo PISARELLO PRADOS, En Comù Podem, Spain 114. Dominique POTIER, SOC, France 115. Norma PUJOL I FARRE, ERC, Spain 116. Pierre Alain RAPHAN, LREM, France 117. Michel REIMON, Greens, Austria 118. , Die Linke, Germany 119. , Die Linke, Germany 120. Cécile RILHAC, LREM, France 121. Véronique RIOTTON, LREM, France 122. Marta ROCIQUE, ERC, Spain 123. Cristina RODRIGUES, Não Inscrito, Portugal 124. Alberto RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ, Unidas Podemos, Spain 125. Maria Manuel ROLA, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal 126. Marta ROSIQUE I SALTOR, ERC, Spain 127. Claudia ROUAUX, SOC, France 128. Gabriel RUFIAN ROMERO, ERC, Spain 129. Josep RUFO GRACIA, ERC, Spain 130. Hélène RYCKMANS, Ecolo, Belgium 131. Enrique Fernando SANTIAGO ROMERO, Unidas Podemos, Spain 132. Jussi SARAMO, Left Alliance, Finland 133. , SPD, Germany 134. Eva-Maria SCHREIBER, Die Linke, Germany 135. Nelson SILVA, PAN, Portugal 136. Primož SITER, The Left Party, Slovenia 137. , Die Linke, Germany 138. , Die Linke, Germany 139. Nataša SUKIC, The Left Party, Slovenia 140. Ana Maria SURRA SPADEA, ERC, Spain 141. , Die Linke, Germany 142. Matej TASNER VATOVEC, The Left Party, Slovenia 143. , Die Linke, Germany 144. Carolina TELECHEA I LOZANO, ERC, Spain 145. Jennifer DE TEMMERMAN, EDS, France 146. Huguette TIEGNA, LREM, France 147. Violeta TOMIC, The Left Party, Slovenia 148. Elisabeth TOUTUT-PICARD, LREM, France 149. Bernart TRESERRES, ERC, Spain 150. Frédérique TUFFNELL, EDS, France 151. Erkki TUOMIOJA, SDP, Finland 152. , Die Linke, Germany 153. Pilar VALLUGERA BALANA, ERC, Spain 154. Laurence VANCEUNEBROCK, LREM, France 155. Michèle DE VAUCOULEURS, Modem, France 156. Michèle VICTORY, SOC, France 157. Aina VIDAL SAEZ, Unidas Podemos, Spain 158. Alexandra VIEIRA, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal 159. Cédric VILLANI, EDS, France 160. , Die Linke, Germany 161. Andreas WAGNER, Die Linke, Germany 162. Martine WONNER, EDS, France 163. , Die Linke, Germany 164. Jean Marc ZULESI, LREM, France 165. Anthony Cellier, LREM, France 166. Malik BEN ACHOUR, PS, Belgium 167. Caroline JANVIER, LREM, France 168. Marion LENNE, LREM, France 169. Stéphane LESTE, LREM, France 170. Eric ALAUZET, LREM, France 171. Yves DANIEL, LREM, France 172. Fabienne COLBOC, LREM, France 173. Sylvain TEMPLIER, LREM, France 174. Marie SILIN, LREM, France 175 Stéphane TROMPILLE, LREM, France 176. Souad ZITOUNI, LREM, France 177. Sylvie CHARRIERE, LREM, France 178. Michel DELPON, LREM, France 179. Loic DOMBREVAL, LREM, France 180. Marc Delatte, LREM, France 181. Patricia MIRALLES, LREM, France 182. Jacqueline DUBOIS, LREM, France 183. Nicole LE PEIH, LREM, France