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Casa proposal for social climate fund receives decisive backing from joint committee
Proposal for a Social Climate Fund that MEP David Casa has been the rapporteur for, received broad support by two EP committee
18 May 2022, 6:07pm
Sebastian Vassallo
Sebastian Vassallo
2 min read
Nationalist Party MEP David Casa
A vote in Wednesday’s joint employment and social affairs (EMPL) and environment and food safety (ENVI) committees, favourably received proposals by David Casa and co-rapporteur Esther de Lange (EPP) for a draft report on the regulation.
Over 100 MEPs from the two committees agreed on key compromises on the draft Social Climate Fund regulation, a multi-billion euro fund that forms part of the EU’s Fit-For-55 Package to phase out fossil fuel.
Once finalised, the fund will see millions invested in Maltese households over the next decade, Casa said.
“I am pleased to see that the compromises we negotiated were accepted in their totality. The feedback we received from colleagues was that our work on the Social Climate Fund greatly improved what the European Commission proposed. This view translated in practice to the support shown for the vote,” the Nationalist MEP said.
The proposals include expanded support for green mobility, providing financial support to incentivise access to private zero-emission vehicles and improved, affordable public transport.
“At a European level, this Fund delivers billions across the EU. Our work on this file strived to ensure that all regions benefit from relevant support – includeing Malta. So I am happy that we received overwhelming support for this file,” Casa said.
Casa explained that although Malta’s road transport emissions were the lowest in Europe, they were rising at among the highest rates, meaning investing in greener transport would be critical to long-term emissions reductions.
He stressed that households and citizens would stand to benefit from the proposed Fund. He cited solar panels, greener mobility, and insulation as some examples of the support the Fund would help deliver.
MEPs backed the proposals by Casa and de Lange in defining energy and mobility poverty on an EU level, which will improve the targeted use of the fund for those areas most in need as well ameliorate data collection and reporting. The joint EMPL-ENVI committee also confirmed a stronger link between EU funding and rule of law commitments.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament's grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action.
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