Ratification of the Doha Agreement

12.12.2012

Question for written answer E-011323-12
to the Commission
Rule 117
Robert Goebbels (S&D)

The EU’s Delegation in Doha signed a ‘minimalist agreement’ on a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, which would take over the initial agreement from 1 January 2013.

This agreement would only apply to the European Union and certain European countries such as Norway, Switzerland, Croatia and Liechtenstein, as well as Australia, which is the only non-European country that still feels bound by this agreement.

1. Since all these countries represent less than 15 % of global greenhouse gas emissions (with the EU emitting less than 11 %), it is worth asking what the impact of the continuous effort by the Europeans and Australians will be. Will it not be cancelled out by the increasing emissions of China, India, Indonesia and other larger countries absent from Kyoto II?

2. Will the ‘minimalist agreement’ made at Doha be submitted for parliamentary ratification by the Member States and the European Parliament?

3. Could the Commission continue to apply this new agreement without prior ratification?

4. Since the aviation and maritime sectors are not concerned by the initial Kyoto agreement, how can the Commission justify its unilateral actions in these industries?

OJ C 321 E, 07/11/2013