Steve Barclay (Conservative)

Ministers continued preparations for the European Council on 12-13 December, and discussed draft conclusions. Sir Tim Barrow intervened to express the UK’s long-standing support for the EU’s ambition of climate neutrality by 2050. We welcomed the balanced conclusions that demonstrated the importance of EU climate leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting green growth, and in ensuring a just transition to a low-emission economy. Sir Tim Barrow also reiterated the UK’s continual support in finding an agreed solution to the current paralysis of the WTO’s mechanism for settling disputes, stressing the importance of language in respect to the WTO, and reinforcing that it was central to trade policy.

The Council held a policy debate on the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). Ministers discussed the Finnish presidency’s negotiating box, ahead of the 12-13 December European Council. The presidency agreed to a 25% target of the EU budget to support climate change initiatives.

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