Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe

Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe welcomes the Industrial Accelerator Act presented on 4 March 2026 as it has the potential to support, if designed and implemented well, the creation of lead markets for less carbon-intensive products.

CAN Europe believes European industries must lead in the transition to a sustainable economic model generating social benefits within planetary boundaries. This requires regulatory consistency and climate ambition to guide policies and investments, improved resilience via reduced energy and resource use and decreased fossil fuel dependence, a people-centered approach to industrial transformation, and a transparent…

Public procurement in the EU accounts for 14% of GDP but remains underutilized in advancing environmental and social goals. Most contracts prioritize price over sustainability, despite procurement being responsible for at least 11% of the EUs greenhouse gas emissions. CAN Europe advocates for revising public procurement rules to prioritize high-quality, environmentally friendly products and services.

CAN Europe welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the public consultation process on the draft implementing act revising the benchmark values for the period 2026-2030. These values will determine the quantity of allowances that will keep on being allocated for free to industries, which between 2021 and 2024 were still covering on average 97% of industrial emissions.

The carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) is one of the building blocks negotiated between 2021 and 2023 under the last EU cycle. Its implementation aims at staying the course with the broad policy toolbox and objectives put forward in the past mandate, as stated by the newly elected Commission, especially in combination with the revised European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).

The EUs 2030 energy and climate framework has shown that a clear direction, binding targets and coordinated European action bring tangible benefits. In an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment, Europe must move faster to phase out fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to a fully renewables-based and efficient energy system.

Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, as Europes leading NGO coalition working on climate action, welcomes the Commissions initiative to develop an Affordable Housing Act (AHA) as part of a broader response to the current housing crisis.

The triple planetary environmental crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution), but also socio-economic and geopolitical crises are mutually reinforcing. They require a holistic and ambitious approach. The time when adaptation was a choice has long gone.

CAN Europe welcomes the attention being given to our electricity network, and sees this as an opportunity to raise EU ambition and support a 100% renewable energy system, while lowering prices and better integrating our infrastructure with nature and communities.

Electrification of demand is essential to reach an affordable, secure, and efficient energy system powered fully by a renewable energy system, in line with a Paris Agreement compatible decarbonisation pathway foreseeing a 69% direct electrification rate by 2040.

The upcoming EU Heating and Cooling Strategy represents a pivotal opportunity to place the building sector on a Paris Agreement compatible, affordable, and just decarbonisation pathway. To achieve this, the strategy must enforce the energy efficiency first principle, prioritise renewable-based solutions, and ensure coherence with the Electrification Action Plan and the Energy Security Framework while addressing…

CAN Europe has repeatedly argued that, to align with the 1.5°C temperature limit and equity, the EU could and should achieve domestic net zero emissions by 2040 at the latest, based on at least 92% gross reductions compared to 1990 levels. This should also be based on the EU achieving at least 65% gross (76% net) emission reductions by 2030, and at least 82% gross (94% net) domestic emission.

The post-2030 energy efficiency framework is being designed amid a fossil fuel crisis. In this context, reducing energy demand must be a central pillar of Europes strategy for energy security, affordability, competitiveness, and decarbonisation. Energy efficiency is Europes first line of defence against fossil fuel import dependency, price shocks and geopolitical coercion. The evidence is clear.

CAN Europe welcomes this opportunity to provide input to the development of guidelines for designating renewables acceleration areas. Our input as the attached briefing titled "Renewable Energy Planning and Mapping for Successful Acceleration with Nature and Communities at Its Heart: Guiding Principles for Member States," emphasises the need for EU Member States to drastically shift towards a fully renewable energy…

The update of the Governance Regulation should strengthen the EU framework for planning, monitoring and contributing to deliver the energy transition post-2030 (without touching the 2030 architecture), while preserving the elements that have proven effective until now.

To read CAN Europe's detailed feedback on the revision of the Security of Supply Framework, including references and footnotes, please see the attached pdf file. The main objective of this feedback is to highlight the need for the revised Energy Security Framework to end fossil fuel dependence and build an integrated and climate-resilient energy system based on renewables, electrification, and long-term planning…

CAN Europe has repeatedly argued that, to align with the 1.5°C temperature limit and equity, the EU could and should achieve domestic net zero emissions by 2040 at the latest, based on at least 92% gross reductions compared to 1990 levels. This should also be based on the EU achieving at least 65% gross (76% net) emission reductions by 2030, and at least 82% gross (94% net) domestic emission by 2035.

The Omnibus on taxation legislative proposal aims at enhancing EUs competitiveness. EU competitiveness depends on many factors, including the capacity of states to invest in education and training, social protection systems, decarbonisation and circularity, research and innovation. Without effective, clear, harmonised and transparent taxation rules, those investments are not possible.

The EU is not on track to meet LULUCF targets The EUs LULUCF sector is critical for the protection of Europes biodiversity, water, soils, and carbon sequestration. However, the net LULUCF sink has been declining since 2010, and the projections show that the EU is expected to miss its -310Mt LULUCF 2030 target by 50-125Mt.

CAN Europe supports the definition of ecodesign requirements for iron and steel products in the ESPR delegated act. Getting these requirements right will be instrumental to the success of the steel transition in Europe as the sector requires long-term investment certainty to move away from the fossil model.

CAN Europe welcomes the possibility to contribute to the call for evidence on the revision of rescue and restructuring guidelines (RRG). Our submission mostly focuses on guardrails and principles that should be kept in mind in case the steel sector would be added to the scope of the RRG, but we strongly suggest that those conditions would also be applied across the board for all sectors potentially benefitting from…

CAN Europe, Europes largest network fighting dangerous climate change and representing more than 40 million citizens, welcomes the European Commissions consultation on the revision of the European energy security framework.

We welcome the initiative to simplify and clarify reporting obligations under the Directive on Administrative Cooperation (DAC), and potentially consolidate various provisions into a single Directive for greater clarity. We note that recasting the DAC could help reduce the reporting burden on large companies and SMEs, as well as tax administrations.