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EU accepts stop energy financial investment treaty over climate concerns

European Union countries all agreed on Thursday to quit a worldwide energy treaty over issues that it safeguards nonrenewable fuel source investments and weakens efforts to combat climate modification, the Belgian EU presidency said.

The 1998 Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) allows energy business to take legal action against governments over policies that damage their investments. In recent years, some companies have actually utilized it to introduce billion-dollar lawsuits versus measures to shut or limit fossil fuel tasks.

I'm very happy and I will thank all of you around the table to strive with the Belgian presidency group to break the stalemate on this file, Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten said.

Brussels proposed an EU exit from the treaty last year, after member states including Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands revealed private plans to stop, with the majority of pointing out climate modification concerns.

The bloc argued that the treaty was no longer in line with the Paris arrangement on climate change and EU aspirations regarding the energy shift.

The European Parliament authorized the EU exit last month.

This is a historic moment and a considerable success for environment justice advocates across Europe, Environment Action Network (CAN) Europe stated in a declaration, adding the pressure would now be on those remaining EU nations that have yet to exit the ECT.

Member states which wish to remain contracting celebrations after the EU's withdrawal will have the ability to vote throughout the upcoming Energy Charter Conference-- anticipated to happen by end-2024--. by approving or not opposing the adoption of a modernised. contract, the Council of the EU said in a declaration.

Before leaving, the EU concurred it will initially authorize reforms. to the treaty - which aimed to make it more climate-friendly,. but which some European federal governments said fell short.

The Energy Charter Treaty secretariat has not yet confirmed. when treaty members will meet to vote on the reforms. It did not. immediately react to a request for comment.

Around 50 signatories to the treaty concurred the reforms in. 2022. Among the essential changes is the decrease to 10 years from. 20 of a sunset provision that would apply to countries that give up.

During this period, energy firms from other signatory. countries such as Japan and Turkey would continue to get the. treaty's security of their existing financial investments in the EU.

(source: Reuters)