Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze and Carole Dieschbourg, Luxembourg's Minister for the Environment, would like to intensify cooperation. They met to discuss the phase-out of nuclear power within the European Union in their shared border regions.
Germany and Luxembourg are planning to further expand their cooperation in environmental and climate policy. In this context, Ministers Schulze and Dieschbourg came together today to discuss the plans for the phase-out of nuclear power within the European Union and in their shared border regions. Additional topics discussed included EU climate policies, potential EU bans on harmful insecticides, the reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) and the phase-out of glyphosate.
Minister Dieschbourg informed her counterpart about Luxembourg's draft law on nuclear liability. Minister Schulze reported on the status of the phase-out of nuclear power in Germany. They agreed on a close cooperation at EU level concerning the upcoming discussions on the amendment of the Euratom Treaty. Phasing out nuclear power will also be an important topic at the meeting of German-speaking environmental ministers in Luxembourg, which Minister Dieschbourg will host on 11 and 12 June.
With a view to climate policies, both ministers expect that in early 2020 the EU will adopt a long-term climate strategy covering the period until 2050 with the target of achieving climate neutrality. To achieve this, the EU Commission would have to submit a proposal by early 2019, as agreed by the last European Council. This is to further strengthen the EU as a global role model for climate action.
Ministers Dieschbourg and Schulze also agreed joint initiatives for biodiversity conservation with a special focus on the dramatic loss of bees and insects. Together with the French Environment Minister, Nicolas Hulot, they will advocate at EU level a swift ban on the use of neonicotinoide substances of particular concern on open fields. Neonicotinoides are a substance group that is proven to be harmful to bees and other insects. The three ministers are also planning to coordinate their national plans for a swift phase-out of the herbicide glyphosate.
Both ministers believe a fundamental reform of the EU CAP is necessary. They advocate significantly increasing the funds within the CAP earmarked for environmental protection and nature conservation and improving remuneration for farmers for their efforts in these fields.