📋 Tender Overview
State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Uros Vajgl, attended a regular EU Environmental Council meeting in Brussels. Ministers discussed environmental and climate aspects of an agreement on a clean industry, presented by the European Commission on 26 in February 2025 and represents one of the priorities of the European Union.State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy Uros Vajgl attended the regular meeting of the EU Environment Council in Brussels | Author: MOPE 1 / 6 Ministers also discussed global environmental policy in light of the current geopolitical circumstances The Clean Industry Deal represents the EU's plan to support the competitiveness and resilience of European industry and a strategy to accelerate the decarbonization of production sectors in Europe. It focuses on energy-intensive industries such as steel, metal and chemical, as well as clean technologies, which are at the heart of future competitiveness and industrial transition. It also gives an important role to the circular economy, emphasizing the area of waste prevention and management, where the waste management hierarchy is taken into account and recycled materials are used beneficially, thereby keeping them in the economy for a longer period of time. In the discussion, the ministers welcomed the contribution of the Deal to harmonizing the EU's climate goals and competitiveness goals, in such a way that the clean transition becomes a driver of the competitiveness of European industry, and called for an appropriate method of financing and financial support to ensure this goal. State Secretary Vajgl stressed that the clean transition and decarbonisation can and must become a driving force for increasing the competitiveness of European industry. He also highlighted that the funds for financing the clean transition must be fairly distributed among the Member States, taking into account the even geographical distribution of funds. As part of the discussion on global environmental policy, the ministers focused on the planned 7th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), which will take place this December, and on the state of negotiations for the preparation of a new legally binding instrument on the prevention of plastic pollution. Slovenia actively supports the negotiations and prioritizes the protection of human health and the environment through measures at both the national and global levels, in a way that ensures transparency and maintains the competitiveness of the economy. Informal meetings and bilateral talks Before the start of the session, an informal meeting of the Green Growth Group (GGG), of which Slovenia is also a member, was also held. Ministers exchanged views on decarbonisation as a key element of the Clean Industry Deal and discussed the importance of the EU's long-term orientation by setting a new climate target by 2040. State Secretary Vajgl met Olivia Gippner, Member of the Cabinet of Commissioner for Climate Action Hoekstra Wopke, and Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General for Climate Change, on the sidelines of the meeting. He addressed the importance of ensuring the EU's competitiveness while decarbonising. In a separate meeting with Jan Ceyssen, Member of the Cabinet of Commissioner for Environment and Circular Economy Jessica Roswall, he called for maintaining the level of funding from the LIFE programme. He informed the Commission about the need to increase the thermal treatment capacity of waste in Slovenia. He also met Terhi Lehtonen, Member of the Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, where he highlighted the importance of sufficient and balanced financing of measures in Slovenia, including for the introduction of clean technologies.
