BRUSSELS, Nov 24 (KUNA) -- The European Parliament Thursday adopted a resolution backing the EU's exit from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) when requested to consent to it.
The resolution urges the European Commission to initiate immediately the process towards a coordinated exit of the EU from the ECT and calls on the Council of the EU to support such a proposal.
The non-binding resolution was adopted with 303 votes to 209, with 63 abstentions The parliament said it consider the current ECT an outdated instrument which no longer serves the interest of the European Union, especially with regard to the objective to become climate neutral by 2050.
The resolution welcomed the announcement by the Polish, Spanish, Dutch, French, Slovenian, German and Luxembourgish governments of their intention to withdraw from the ECT.
Parliament would also have to consent to the EU exiting the ECT.
The ECT is an international agreement. The treaty was signed in December 1994 and came into effect in April 1998 There are 53 signatories and contracting parties to the ECT, including the European Union, and all its member states except for Italy, which withdrew in 2016. (end) nk.gb