EU Insight 7 November 2025

COP30 opened this week in Belém, Brazil, and will run until 21 November, with negotiators seeking to advance on global climate action. Ahead of the summit, EU Member States agreed on an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), pledging to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 66.25-72.5% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, and reaffirming the goal of a 90% reduction by 2040. In her opening address, Commission President von der Leyen called for accelerating the clean energy transition, highlighting EU commitments to triple renewables and double energy efficiency by 2030. Central issues expected during this year COP include bridging the ambition gap and delivering on Paris Agreement targets.

The Environment Council has agreed a General Approach on the 2040 climate target after lengthy negotiations. Member States endorsed an EU-wide goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990, with up to 5 percentage points allowed via international carbon credits, including a pilot phase starting 2031. The agreement introduces regular review clauses, potential target adjustments based on economic and energy impacts, and enhanced flexibility across and within sectors. The launch of the new carbon pricing system for heating and transport (ETS2) is postponed to 2028. The package also calls for support of domestic sustainable energy production and European industry competitiveness. The Parliament will now consider the Council’s position ahead of interinstitutional talks.

The Commission published its High-Speed Rail Action Plan to accelerate sustainable passenger travel across Europe, aiming to halve travel times between major cities within a decade and strengthen both EU competitiveness and climate goals. The plan sets ambitious deadlines for launching high-speed and high-quality train services. It also promises legislation for cross-border ticketing, improved passenger rights, and a dedicated financing strategy. Alongside this, the Commission also released the new Sustainable Transport Investment Plan, aiming to boost investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels for aviation and shipping. The roadmap targets at least €2.9 billion in EU funding by 2027 to help the sector meet decarbonisation targets and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

This week, the Commission published its 2025 State of the Energy Union and Climate Action Progress reports, confirming the EU remains on track to meet its 2030 climate target. In 2024, GHG emissions fell by 2.5% and renewables made up 47% of the electricity mix. Despite the EU’s heading in the right direction, challenges remain including infrastructure and investment needs, with the Commission estimating that the EU needs to mobilise over €695 billion in energy related investments annually from 2031 to 2040. In addition, electricity’s share in final energy must rise from 23% to 32% by 2034. The reports also highlight the EU’s reduced reliance on Russian gas and underline the need to accelerate energy efficiency and clean tech innovation.

The Commission has published its annual Enlargement Package detailing progress by candidate countries towards EU accession. The report notes great progress achieved by Montenegro, currently the closest country to accession, with closure of negotiations aimed by late 2026. Significant progress is also highlighted for Albania and Moldova with potential conclusions around 2027 and 2028 respectively, subject to continued reform. Ukraine could see all negotiation ‘clusters’ open by the end of the year, although the Commission notes reforms must accelerate to close negotiations by 2028. For other countries, the reports state that Bosnia Herzegovina and North Macedonia should intensify their efforts. Meanwhile, talks with Kosovo remain blocked, and those with Türkiye and Georgia are paused due to democratic backsliding.