Minister Serge Wilmes at the extraordinary meeting of the Environment Council of the European Union in Brussels

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, took part in the extraordinary meeting of the Environment Council of the European Union (EU), held in Brussels on 4 and 5 November 2025. There were marathon discussions on the European Climate Act, the EU's Nationally Determined Contribution to the UNFCCC and the Commission's recent proposal for a simplified deforestation regulation (EUDR).             

Following this meeting, at the Environment Councils of 18 September and 21 October 2025, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity reiterated the Luxembourg Government's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90 % by 2040, in line with scientific recommendations, guaranteeing the necessary predictability for all stakeholders concerned and strengthening the industrial competitiveness of businesses. Throughout the preparatory process, Luxembourg supported the Danish Presidency in its efforts to reach an ambitious agreement.              

European Climate Law     
The ministers met for a general policy debate on the proposal to amend the European Climate Act, in particular the level of ambition of the target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020.
90 % of net greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 proposed by the Commission, as well as its future implementation.          

Minister Serge Wilmes thanked the Presidency for its perseverance: «We are at your side to achieve a result today on this difficult issue, together with our determined contribution at national level. But we need a result that moves us towards a trajectory compatible with 1.5°C. A step backwards will not be acceptable, nor will a smokescreen (...). I support the proposal for a 2040 climate target of minus 90%, which is the ambition recommended by science. The key word here is credibility».         

After marathon negotiations that continued throughout the night, the Council finally agreed this morning to include the binding target of a 90 % reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 in the Climate Act. The agreement nevertheless provides for an adequate contribution to this target in the form of high-quality international credits under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, of up to 5 %, as well as other flexibilities.

It also calls on the European Commission to draw up a legislative package over the next few years to implement this objective. A review clause provides for the Commission to assess the implementation of the EU's decarbonisation trajectories every two years and to propose, taking into account the latest scientific knowledge, technological advances and the evolution of the challenges and opportunities for European competitiveness, and if necessary, adjustments to the implementing legislative package.

The Minister warmly welcomed this ambitious objective, which Luxembourg has defended since the beginning of the discussions, but deplored the fact that the level of possible recourse to international credits had to be increased to 5 % in order to reach an agreement.          

EU Nationally Determined Contribution submitted to the UNFCCC      
After protracted negotiations on this difficult dossier, the ministers adopted the European Union's Nationally Determined Contribution, a document that reflects the European Union's climate ambitions for 2035, and which must be submitted before COP 30, which will be held from 10 to 21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.   

The NDCs are an integral part of the Paris Agreement, which requires each Party to the Agreement to update its NDC every five years. They establish the efforts made by each country to reduce its emissions and adapt to the consequences of climate change. The EU submits a single NDC on behalf of itself and its Member States.               

Luxembourg supported the compromise proposal prepared by the Danish Presidency for the Council, and thus the EU's target of -72.5 % compared to 1990 levels by 2035:
«Our position is well known: the indicative target for 2035 that we will include in our Nationally Determined Contribution must be derived from the Climate Act and the target for 2040. Consistency with the Paris Agreement, the 1.5°C target and the latest scientific recommendations must be ensured. The credibility of the European Union and our weight in international negotiations depend on it».», said Minister Serge Wilmes in his speech.

However, Luxembourg regrets that the NDC finally adopted contains a range for the 2035 indicative target, with a reduction in greenhouse gases of between 66.25 and 72.5 %. The Minister stressed that for Luxembourg, only the upper end of this range, i.e. 72.5 %, based on a linear reduction between the 2030 and 2040 targets, could be credible.

European regulation on deforestation           
Finally, under «other business», the Commission's recent proposal to simplify the regulation on deforestation was discussed. 

Luxembourg joins the Commission and other Member States in their desire to achieve a simplification of the regulation in order to reduce the administrative burden for primary producers in countries where deforestation does not de facto constitute a risk. Nevertheless, the Luxembourg Government cannot support the current proposal as it stands and has called for the entry into force of the regulation to be postponed until the IT problems hampering effective implementation have been resolved.

Luxembourg also proposed limiting due diligence obligations to the first time a product is placed on the market in the European Union. Aware of the need to preserve the integrity of the single market, Luxembourg has also insisted on simplification without deregulation.
In order not to plunge the sector into insecurity, Luxembourg has highlighted the need to guarantee the security of investments, which requires clarity, legal certainty and predictability.

Finally, Luxembourg reiterated that the regulation must comply with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).