Minister: EU climate strategy costs should be borne by biggest polluters

One of the most important aspects when devising the European Union's climate strategy is that it must not impose disproportionate costs and burdens on any member state, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga told an Ecofin meeting on Tuesday. Hungary agrees with the EU's climate goals but it must be made clear that they must not lead to increases in energy and food prices and consumers should not be made to bear its additional costs, the Finance Ministry quoted Varga as saying in a debate on the European Green Deal. The minister highlighted the role of the EU's new Just Transition Fund in ensuring that disadvantaged regions are given sufficient help in transitioning to carbon neutrality.