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OPINION (2025/2145(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section III – Commission and executive agencies and the ninth, tenth and eleventh European Development Funds

ENVI-AD-779473

Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Antonio Decaro

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The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety gives its opinion on the 2024 EU budget discharge, covering climate action, biodiversity, and food safety. It is satisfied with implementation but calls for better tracking, funding, and risk management. It stresses the need for adequate resources for key strategies, expresses concerns about climate expenditure tracking and RRF shortcomings, and calls for action on biodiversity financing gaps and forest fire prevention.

Committee position. The committee calls on the lead committee to incorporate its suggestions, which are generally satisfied with budget implementation but demand improvements in climate and biodiversity tracking, funding, and risk management.

Key points

  1. Is satisfied with the Commission's overall budget implementation in environment, climate, and food safety for 2024, but stresses the need for continuous attention to performance indicators and value for money.
  2. Calls for adequate funding and staffing for relevant Directorates-General, aligned with priorities and objectives, and for mitigation strategies against risks like conflicts of interest and greenwashing.
  3. Notes that about EUR 60.6 billion (32% of the annual budget) was spent on climate objectives in 2024, and calls for recalibration of mainstreaming targets in light of new geopolitical context.
  4. Notes RRF progress: 47% of milestones assessed as fulfilled, 29% reported completed, EUR 306.1 billion disbursed, and 42.6% of allocation for green transition; calls for ensuring funding benefits vulnerable regions.
  5. Concerned about ECA findings on RRF climate tracking, including potential overestimations and confusing reporting; calls for a credible methodology and avoiding systematic overestimation.
  6. Calls on the Commission to make public the study on CAP climate contribution, which was concluded in August 2025 but not presented.
  7. Notes ETS generated EUR 43.6 billion in revenue for climate investments, but reiterates concern about cybersecurity risks and requests a report on planned measures.
  8. Notes about EUR 14.4 billion (7.6% of annual budget) was spent on biodiversity in 2024, slightly exceeding the 7.5% target, but regrets that the 10% target for 2026-2027 will not be met and calls for a plan to close the financing gap.
  9. Highlights LIFE programme's contribution of EUR 769 million in 2024, supporting projects that avoided 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and halted or reversed loss of 176 species.
  10. Regrets EEA findings that Europe's biodiversity is in poor state and outlook is negative; calls for addressing shortcomings in forest-fire prevention funding to be strategic and risk-based.
  11. Calls on the Commission, with EFSA and Member States, to strengthen horizon scanning and early-warning systems for emerging food and feed risks.

Who is affected

  • Commission Directorates-General for environment, climate action, and food safety: need adequate funding and staffing, and must adopt mitigation strategies.
  • Member States: must report on RRF milestones and implement reforms; benefit from biodiversity and climate funding.
  • Farmers and local authorities: should not face disproportionate administrative burdens from biodiversity measures.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 60.6 billion (32% of annual budget) spent on climate objectives in 2024.
  • 47% of RRF milestones assessed as fulfilled, 29% reported completed, EUR 306.1 billion disbursed.
  • 42.6% of total RRF allocation for green transition.
  • EUR 64.75 billion in REPowerEU support.
  • EUR 4.6 billion in Innovation Fund grants in 2024.
  • 64% of climate expenditure for mitigation, 21% for adaptation, 14% for both, 1% not attributable.
  • EUR 43.6 billion ETS revenue for climate investments.
  • EUR 14.4 billion (7.6% of annual budget) for biodiversity in 2024; EUR 21.4 billion average annual financing gap.