Austria seeks allies for legal challenge to EU green investment rules

Austria said it was seeking to enlist other European Union countries to support its legal action against Brussels for labelling investment in gas and nuclear power as “green”.

Vienna on Friday filed a legal challenge against the EU’s inclusion of the energy sources on a list of climate-friendly investments, which exposed deep rifts between countries over which energy sources to use to meet climate change goals.

Luxembourg confirmed on Monday it would join Austria’s action. Austrian Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler said others may follow, without naming the countries.

“I find it irresponsible and unreasonable,” Gewessler said of the EU’s decision.

An EU official said Austria was undertaking “diplomatic outreach” to potentially interested countries.

Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Denmark jointly called for nuclear to be excluded from the rules last November when the EU was still drafting them. Ireland and Spain had also warned Brussels against labelling investments in gas as “green”.

A German environment ministry spokesperson said the country would not join the legal action, but added that “it is good that the objections to the taxonomy regulation will now be reviewed by the courts.”

via Reuters