Several Borboly Proposals Included in the EU Social Climate Fund Rules
The European Union’s new Social Climate Fund, worth €86.7 billion, includes several elements that were previously proposed by Csaba Borboly in a policy opinion prepared within the European Committee of the Regions. The aim was to ensure that the green transition does not increase social inequalities, but instead takes into account the specific situation of rural and mountainous regions.
The final EU regulation reflects these proposals in several respects. It states that, when preparing Social Climate Plans, Member States must consult local and regional authorities, as they are the ones most familiar with the specific characteristics of their territories. In addition, the measures must be designed at territorial level, taking into account the economic and social differences between regions.
The regulation also gives special attention to rural, peripheral and mountainous areas. In these regions, alternative transport options are often limited, and many households still rely on traditional heating systems. For this reason, the legislation addresses both energy poverty and transport poverty as distinct challenges. As part of this approach, Member States are required to conduct territorial impact assessments and identify the regions and households that are most affected.
The new regulation also allows the most vulnerable households to receive temporary direct income support, as well as subsidies, vouchers or preferential financing schemes for energy-efficiency investments. It also encourages the creation of energy communities and greater citizen participation in the expansion of renewable energy.
The regulation also pays particular attention to socially vulnerable groups – such as women, single parents and persons with disabilities – in addressing energy poverty.
The new fund therefore starts within a framework that reflects the perspectives of regions in several aspects and gives greater consideration to rural and mountainous communities in Europe’s green transition.