letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122-91b1c5ad88d5586e.pdf

The letter asserts that the Energy Charter Treaty's modernisation process is insufficient, as it maintains investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms and protects fossil fuel assets for at least a decade in the EU and UK. It notes that several EU Member States, representing over 70% of the EU population, have already announced their withdrawal. The authors urge the European Commission to facilitate a coordinated EU withdrawal to avoid legal limbo and prevent fossil fuel investors from hindering climate action.

• The proposed modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is insufficient because it does not comply with the Paris Agreement and leaves investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and biased investor compensation mechanisms unchanged.
• Under the reformed ECT, fossil fuel assets—including existing coal assets and future gas plants and pipelines—would remain protected in the EU and UK for at least ten years, and indefinitely in other contracting parties.
• A significant portion of the EU population, exceeding 70%, is represented by Member States that have announced their withdrawal from the ECT, specifically Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Slovenia, Germany, and Italy.
• The authors argue that the 'sunset clause' of the ECT can be neutralized through agreements between withdrawing EU states, potentially including the UK, Norway, and Switzerland, rather than serving as a reason to remain in the treaty.

APA

ClientEarth (2022). letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122-91b1c5ad88d5586e.pdf. https://www.clientearth.org/media/35rfklqx/letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122-91b1c5ad88d5586e.pdf. 2022. https://www.clientearth.org/media/35rfklqx/letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122-91b1c5ad88d5586e.pdf |date=17 November 2022 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/35rfklqx/letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2022lettertovicepresidenttimmermansontheectmodernisation17112291b1c5ad88d5586epdf, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122-91b1c5ad88d5586e.pdf}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/35rfklqx/letter-to-vice-president-timmermans-on-the-ect-modernisation-171122.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }