Energy Community countries propped up coal mining and electricity generation with direct and indirect public subsidies totalling at least 2.4 billion euros annually, out of which around half were provided by Western Balkan countries, shows a study (1) released today by the Vienna-based Secretariat of the Energy Community Treaty, the international treaty working to integrate the energy markets of the EU with those of its neighbours.

Read more: Energy Community: Western Balkan coal subsidies worth over 1.2 billion euros in 2017

European Council conclusions on climate change adopted today fail to send a signal that the EU is willing to increase its weak climate targets, despite last week’s unprecedented mobilisation of youth across Europe calling for more action against climate change.

Read more: EU leaders fail to step up climate action, despite mass youth protests

“To make decarbonisation a reality, voting down the eligibility of fossil fuels, including gas, is key.” This is the message sent today by businesses, local authorities and NGOs to the members of the European Parliament as they will decide this week if they will turn back the clock by allowing funding for fossil fuels in Europe’s regions from 2021 to 2027, or if they will choose a path of sustainable development for Europe’s regions, bringing them new jobs, competitiveness and modernisation.

Read more: Businesses, cities and NGOs call for fossil fuel-free investments in EU’s regions

Today EU ministers exchanged views on the climate aspects of the next EU budget after 2020 at a General Affairs Council. Most Member States agreed to the proposal of the European Commission that 25% of it will have to serve climate action. Few progressive voices call for a more ambitious spending target as well as for excluding any funding to go to supporting fossil fuels.

Read more: Ministers debate increase of EU budget for climate action