Can a Member State set its own overall target for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions?
The fact that there is no overall legally binding target for greenhouse gas emissions is the logical consequence of the introduction of a single EU-wide cap for the EU emissions trading system. Eventually, the market operators will decide where emission reductions will take place, most probably in places where they are most cost-efficient. It is therefore not possible to define a specific target for a country at EU level. Naturally this will not prevent Member States from adopting their own targets, giving visibility to their own efforts to fight climate change, benchmarking progress and engaging the public. 18. What are the next steps? The proposal will be discussed in parallel in the Council and the European Parliament. It falls under the so-called co-decision procedure, meaning that the European Parliament is co-legislator and must agree on the final legislative text. The intention is to push through the package during the current term of Parliament.
