Prime Minister Andrej Babiš discusses climate change at the European Council

On 12 and 13 December 2019, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš attended the European Council and the Euro Summit in Brussels. The main topics discussed were climate change, the multi-annual financial framework, the European Union's external relations, the deepening of economic and monetary union and Brexit.

On Thursday, EU leaders at the summit, at which Charles Michel, former Belgian Prime Minister, sat for the first time as President of the European Council, discussed climate change and the goal of achieving EU climate neutrality by 2050. Prime Minister Babiš made this commitment conditional on the Czech Republic's right to develop nuclear energy as one of its low-carbon sources.

“For the Czech Republic to achieve climate neutrality, a nuclear-based energy mix is essential. Each country has a different economy and different natural conditions. This must be respected. In addition, the Czech Republic and the Czech Government are taking very concrete measures to combat climate change,” said Andrej Babiš.

With the exception of Poland, EU Member States have committed themselves to achieving climate neutrality by the middle of this century. At dinner, leaders discussed the EU's multi-annual financial framework and external relations.

On the second day, the prime ministers and presidents continued the Euro-Summit negotiations in an inclusive format and discussed further steps to deepen economic and monetary union. At the end of the summit, there was a brief debate on Brexit following the results of Thursday's parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom.