In the run-up to next week's Brussels summit, coal-dependent countries, such as Poland, are trying to make their voice heard. On Saturday French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with prime ministers of the Visegrad Group member states, Baltic countries, Romania and Bulgaria.
Poland and other states have opposed the strict regulations that the EU wants imposed, arguing that they would ruin the country's industry. Energy sector representatives keep sending dramatic appeals to the government not to agree to the planned EU restrictions. Some experts remain doubtful whether these regulations constitute any real protection of the environment.
Following the meeting on Saturday, Polish Prime Minister said that there are reasons to be optimistic about the outcome of the talks, though he would not call them a complete success. Nicolas Sarkozy said some of the offers of compromise mentioned at the meeting were worth considering.
New EU states have been reducing their emissions according to the union's authorities demands since the beginning of 1990s and deserve a preferential treatment, especially since it's Christmas time, commented the Czech deputy prime minister Aleksandr Vondra half in jest.
The actual shape of the climate package will see the light of day in a week's time in Brussels.
Click on the audio icon to listen to the entire report by Joanna Najfeld.