The government has decided to strip the preliminary bill on “energy sovereignty” of any objectives in terms of climate and choice of energies, ensuring that it wants to “take more time” for the discussion at a time when Bruno Le Maire takes over the Energy portfolio.
Working on the text, put out for consultation at the beginning of January, representatives of elected officials, NGOs, unions, employers, etc. were informed on Wednesday of these upheavals, which aroused incomprehension and dismay, particularly among environmental associations.
From now on, the project, supposed to set the course for France to move away from fossil fuels, is deprived of its title I dedicated to energy programming. There remain the aspects of price regulation, consumer protection and the regime of hydroelectric dams.
We have decided to postpone the inclusion of this programmatic component in the law. This time should allow us to finalize the consultation work on our energy and climate strategy, ultimately explained the Minister of the Economy, emphasizing the minister’s intention to meet all the stakeholders and find consensus.
Bercy did not immediately specify whether this aspect would appear in another bill or would fall under the regulatory route.
The subject – what energies for France by 2030 and 2035, what objectives for reducing energy consumption, etc. – has been the subject of multi-party working group meetings since May 2023 under the aegis of the previous minister.
Then came this preliminary draft law, made public on January 8 and which, now simplified, must be presented to the Council of Ministers by the beginning of February.
What debate?
The text had caused a number of energy players to jump due to the absence of quantified objectives for renewable electrical energies (solar, wind), until now set out in the law.
On the other hand, it set precise objectives for nuclear energy, a priority for President Emmanuel Macron and for Bruno Le Maire, in charge of Energy since the reshuffle last Thursday.
It also set new objectives for the reduction of greenhouse gases and energy savings for France, under less binding terms than today (with wording committing to tending towards these objectives).
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