Eickhout slams critics for defending US and Japanese interests
29th March 2023
EUROPE: EU environment committee rapporteur Bas Eickhout has hit out at critics of the F-gas proposals, accusing them of defending American and Japanese refrigerant interests.
Speaking at the end of today’s F-gas plenary meeting in the European Parliament, Eickhout said it was time to choose for European industry and European innovation over the the aims of American and Japanese lobbyists.
“When you are saying this is a green ideology, you are defending American and Japanese companies who like to sell some of these chemicals and are only interested in innovation in the chemicals themselves, which in the end even deliver PFAS in heat pumps.”
He denied claims from some MEPs that the F-gas proposals were benefiting the interests of German companies.
“This is an industry that is all over Europe. And it’s all over Europe investing in the innovation and in new jobs and that’s exactly what we’re supporting here,” he said. “The American and the Japanese companies are not going into that innovation, it is the European ones.”
Clearly irritated at the push back from some of the Central and Eastern European countries who are seeking a relaxation of the phase down timetable and product bans, he added: “So this time, it is very clear cut. And we have sufficient time we have talked to a lot of industry who said we can do it already next year but we even allowed more time, we even have safeguards, we even have asked the commission to make sure that you’re keeping it on track for the implementation of RepowerEU.
“So all that is in place and then now still delaying things because some of the American and Japanese lobby is asking you to do so. I think this is time to choose for European industry and European innovation.”
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