All 27 EU leaders will gather for an informal retreat at the Castle of Alden Biesen in Belgium’s Limburg region today. Officially targeting goals to boost the economy, the meeting is really set to focus on accelerating the rollback of EU laws. Vital safeguards designed to protect nature, public health and communities across the bloc. We sent the leaders a message, urging them to keep those protections in place. You can see the message here and access the full media briefing here.
The talks come amid an unprecedented attack on social and environmental legislation in the aftermath of the 2024 European elections. Policy-makers are now increasingly framing environmental protection as a cost rather than a public necessity for communities around the EU.
The numbers do not add up
Policy-makers claim that weakening environmental laws is about saving money and protecting Europe’s economy. But the numbers tell a different story: a handful of powerful players benefit, while the rest of society bears a huge cost.
The impact of deregulation will be severe on EU citizens. From long-term health issues to higher insurance premiums and increased exposure to climate-related risks, it’s people who pay the price of lax environmental laws.
Crucially, evidence shows that the cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of implementing environmental rules. Delays in environmental legislation cost Europe at least €180 billion every year, driven by air and water pollution, waste and nature degradation. Protecting nature is crucial to mitigating the effects of climate change on our economy. And the EU leaders’ retreat location is the perfect example.
“We need European leaders to protect and fight for funds and regulations that benefit people in the short-run and the long-run, rather than buy into the EU Commission’s smokescreen of cutting existing programmes and legislations to redirect resources towards dirty industrial priorities. Most importantly, this retreat must be used to ensure that the Commission upholds its own democratic values of transparency and equity”.
Mute Schimpf, campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe.
The retreat location matters
The summit takes place in the region of the Demer Valley, a natural reserve protected under EU environmental law. According to a study by WWF Belgium, and conservation groups Natagora and Natuurpunt, every euro invested in conserving the region has generated eight euros in economic returns.
The benefits for residents extend beyond economic considerations. Improved air and water quality and higher carbon storage have reduced pressure on local health systems, cutting doctor visits and saving an estimated 40,000 euros in healthcare costs.
You can access the full media briefing here and watch the video that we made in collaboration with WWF EU and members of the European network of Grandparents for Climate, (including European Grandparents for Climate, Grands-Parents pour le Climat and Grootouders voor het klimaat) urgeing decisionmakers to keep vital safeguards for nature and the environment in place, here.
