EU to miss 2035 climate target deadline

The European Council has issued a “statement of intent” to set a 2035 emissions reduction target for the EU ahead of the COP30 international climate conference in November. This announcement follows the acknowledgement by lawmakers that they will miss the end of September deadline to submit this goal at the conference, as stipulated by the Paris Agreement. This delay is due to ongoing disagreements among member states on crucial aspects of the EU’s climate ambitions.

While a specific target has not yet been finalised, the statement indicates that the EU’s 2035 goal will involve reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 66.25% to 72.5% based on 2019 levels. This target will form part of the EU’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. NDCs are national climate action plans that each country must present and update every five years with increased ambition.

The delay in setting a 2035 target is linked to extended discussions among member states regarding proposed amendments to the EU Climate Law. A central component of these discussions is the proposed 2040 goal to reduce emissions by 90%, which will influence the interim 2035 target. The 2040 goal was officially proposed by the European Commission in July 2025, alongside several proposed changes to the Climate Law. Key proposed changes include the post-2030 use of international carbon credits to achieve a portion of the 2040 target under [Article 6 of the Paris Agreement](https://unfccc.int/process/the-paris-agreement/cooperative-implementation) and allowing carbon-intensive industries within the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to use domestic carbon removals to compensate for residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors.

Originally, EU environment ministers were scheduled to vote on the 2040 target on September 18. However, member states had not reached an agreement on critical issues, and discussions are now anticipated to take place in late October at the European Council summit. Key topics under discussion include the flexibilities introduced by the Commission, such as the use of international carbon credits to meet the 2040 goals, the application of domestic carbon credits for the EU ETS, and potential flexibilities for sector-specific targets.

For the 2035 goal, the final target remains uncertain. Some countries, including Denmark, Spain, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, are reportedly advocating for the more ambitious 72.5% reduction, aligning with a linear trajectory to the 2040 goal of 90%. In contrast, others, such as Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, are in favour of the lower-end goal or the submission of a range instead of a fixed target.

Following the release of the statement of intent, Lars Aagaard, Denmark’s Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, commented: “Today, all 27 member states came together in support of the statement of intent for the EU’s NDC. We continue to stand united and will speak with one clear voice at the United Nations. It shows a will of the EU and its member states to find solutions in and promote global climate action.”