Having just returned from the COP25 in Madrid, where they held an exchange with experts and civil society, Socialists and Democrats today welcomed the European Green Deal, which was presented this afternoon in an extraordinary plenary session. This roadmap towards ecological, social and economic sustainability was the pre-condition for the S&D's support to new Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and it will be led by executive vice-president Frans Timmermans.

S&D leader Iratxe García said:

“Eleven days into the new Commission and thanks to Frans Timmermans we have a plan to transform the EU into a more just and prosperous society responding to the challenge of climate change. This must be a complete paradigm shift to bury fossil fuels and reach climate neutrality in Europe by 2050.

“The UN Sustainable Development Goals must guide this transformation so that we overcome an economic model that promotes greed, waste and depletion of resources, and instead promote a model for human development compatible with a healthy planet. This paradigm shift must rely on three equally important pillars: climate action - including the first European climate law - to deliver carbon neutrality; strong social measures to ensure a fair transition and reduce inequalities; and economic stimulus, with a need for an additional €260 billion annually to deliver green investments.”                

S&D vice-president responsible for the European Green Deal, Miriam Dalli, stated:

"This is the time for action. Courageous, social and binding action. The European Green Deal must be the industrial revolution that combines social rights, workers’ rights, sustainability and industries’ competitiveness. If we want to be serious and credible, binding targets and measures should be in place, not only at the EU level but also at the Member States level.

"No one should be left behind but also no industry should hide behind international mechanisms as an excuse to postpone action. All sectors have to contribute. Fossil fuel subsidies should be phased-out and stopped. Policies in favour of direct investments for cleaner technologies across the board and in all sectors should be implemented. We need a 55% CO2 reduction for 2030 to be able to reach the carbon neutrality target by 2050 and we should seriously consider an interim target for 2040.

"If the Commission and the EU Climate ambassador, vice-president Frans Timmermans, are ready to deliver socially, economically and environmentally, the S&Ds are on board. We are ready. This is the time for action.

Note for editors:

Please find below the link to the new section of the S&D website entirely dedicated to our call and proposals on the European Green Deal.
https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/our-european-green-deal

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