Bloc quits Energy Charter Treaty, leaving member states free to remain

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🗞️ Driving the news: EU energy ministers unanimously voted to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), though member states may remain individually
• This decision aligns with the EU Belgian Presidency's commitments and follows a European Parliament vote supporting the exit

🔭 The context: The ECT, created post-Cold War to protect investments in former communist states, has faced criticism for allowing energy companies to sue countries over profit losses from climate actions
• Germany and Spain have been notably sued under the ECT for their energy policies

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The withdrawal is seen as a significant climate victory, reducing the legal power of fossil fuel companies to challenge environmental regulations
• However, environmentalists urge all EU nations to exit the treaty to avoid undermining collective climate efforts

⏭️ What's next: The EU's stance will be formally presented at the upcoming ECT conference in November
• Ongoing efforts are needed to neutralize the 20-year sunset clause, which could still bind exiting countries to the treaty's terms for two decades

💬 One quote: "It is crucial that a decision for the EU to leave is taken in the current mandate, otherwise it would risk being delayed for a long time" (Paul de de Clerck, economic justice expert at Friends of the Earth Europe

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