Climate policy in focus: Economic roundtable with EU Commissioner in Vienna!

Climate policy in focus: Economic roundtable with EU Commissioner in Vienna!

On June 4, 2025, an important economic roundtable took place in the House of the European Union in Vienna, to which the Environment and Climate Minister Norbert Totschnig invited together with the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ). Representatives of leading Austrian companies took part in this meeting to discuss current and future climate policy measures at the EU level. A central focus was on this“Clean Industrial Deal”, whose goal is the sustainable decarbonization of European industry and strengthening its competitiveness.

“Austrian companies are considered pioneers in the development of sustainable solutions,” noted Totschnig. Participants discussed the challenges companies face in achieving EU climate neutrality by 2050. It was emphasized that investments in climate protection should also represent investments in competitiveness. The aim is to create suitable framework conditions for innovative solutions and to ensure global competitiveness.

Important measures and strategic directions

The Secretary General of the WKÖ, Jochen Danninger, emphasized the importance of a dialogue with the EU Commission and called for rapid, effective measures, in particular to strengthen carbon leakage measures in the EU emissions trading system. There was a consensus that lead markets must be developed, bureaucracy reduced and close cooperation between business and politics promoted.

Another central theme was the view that climate protection and economic success should be viewed as a shared opportunity for sustainable growth. The discussions took place in the context of the Austrian World Summit, which aims to send international signals for climate protection and innovation in the same week.

Framework conditions of European climate policy

The discussion fits into the framework of European climate policy, which aims to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce activities that are harmful to the environment and the climate. These dedicated efforts are linked to international agreements such as the UN Climate Framework, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, all of which aim to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The EU has already made progress: in 2020, greenhouse gas emissions were around 3 million kilotons of CO₂ equivalent, with the energy sector contributing around 26% of emissions. EU policy aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, supported by the EU Green Deal, which was adopted in December 2019 and represents a comprehensive growth strategy to achieve these climate goals.

Part of this strategy includes the EU Climate Protection Act passed in 2021, which legally stipulates that greenhouse gas neutrality must be achieved by 2050. In addition, in February 2024, the EU Commission made a proposal to net reduce GHG emissions by 90% by 2040, underlining the urgency and seriousness of climate protection policy.

The current dynamics in the area of ​​climate policy and the various initiatives provide clear impetus for how the European economy can be made climate- and future-proof. The economic roundtable in Vienna represents an important step towards increased cooperation between politics and business in order to achieve these ambitious goals.

Overall, the discussions and shared goals show that Austria is not only an active contributor, but also a pioneer in climate protection. The combination of economic success and environmentally conscious action can serve as a model for future developments.

*For more information, please visit OTS and Federal Environment Agency.