The European Commission stated in a release on 2 July 2026 that it has put forward revisions to the European Climate Law, setting a target of cutting net greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040 compared with 1990 levels.

The European Climate Law establishes the EU’s long-term goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and sets an interim target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 relative to 1990 levels. As the target for the next phase, the European Commission proposed in February 2024 to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040 from 1990 levels.

The European Commission said the proposal introduces a number of mechanisms. For instance, starting in 2036, member states may purchase carbon credits from other partner countries to offset emissions; permanent carbon removal technologies will be incorporated into the EU Emissions Trading System to counteract part of carbon emissions; greater flexibility will be offered across economic sectors, allowing member states to use emission reductions from transport or waste management to make up for insufficient cuts in other sectors.

The first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement in 2023 requires all parties including the EU to submit updated nationally determined contributions for 2035 ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Belém, Brazil in November 2025. The European Commission noted that such targets should be derived based on the 2040 emissions reduction target.

According to the release, the newly proposed revisions will next be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union for negotiations and adoption under the ordinary legislative procedure.