Environment and Climate Ministers: Strengthening Europe’s resilience, competitiveness and global credibility through coordinated EU action

Climate and water resilience, the European Union’s effectiveness in international climate negotiations and the transition to a competitive circular economy were at the core of the discussions during the two-day informal meeting of Environment and Climate Ministers, held in Lefkosia under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU.

On 6 February 2026, EU Ministers responsible for Environment and Climate met at the Filoxenia Conference Centre in Lefkosia for an informal ministerial meeting, which was chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of the Republic of Cyprus, Dr Maria Panayiotou.

The meeting was also attended by the European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Ms Jessika Roswall, and the European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Mr Wopke Hoekstra. This highlighted the close cooperation between the Council Presidency and the European Commission in advancing the EU’s environmental and climate priorities.

On 5 February, ministers and delegates participated in a field visit to the Delikipos Community Park, where they were introduced to Cyprus’ tailored methodology for quantifying carbon sequestration by trees. The visit demonstrated how scientific knowledge, innovation and transparent data can support credible climate action and informed policymaking.

The discussions at the informal meeting in Lefkosia focused on three interconnected policy areas. During the first working session, ministers examined ways in which legislation and finance could be better aligned to strengthen climate and water resilience across the European Union. This highlighted the increasing economic and security implications of the effects of climate change, particularly water scarcity, and the need for a coherent, cross-sectoral approach that links EU policies, funding instruments and national action.

Particular emphasis was placed on effectively implementing the forthcoming “Integrated Framework for Climate Resilience” and the recently published EU Water Resilience Strategy, paying attention to the needs of vulnerable regions and member states.

The second working session focused on how to strengthen the effectiveness of the EU in international climate negotiations. Ministers reflected on lessons learnt from recent COP processes, highlighting the importance of a more strategic, coordinated and political EU approach. The discussion stressed the value of sustained climate diplomacy and early coalition-building, as well as making better use of the EU’s external policy instruments - including trade, finance, development cooperation and scientific partnerships – to turn ambition into tangible, implementable outcomes.

EU ministers agree on circular economy and sustainable competitiveness

During the final working session, ministers discussed their expectations regarding the forthcoming Circular Economy Act and the Commission’s recently published Winter Package. The discussion focused on strengthening the Single Market for secondary raw materials, combatting unfair competition in the EU’s recycling industry and attracting investment to bridge existing financing gaps. Ministers underlined the role of circular economy policies in enhancing competitiveness, reducing strategic dependencies and supporting the EU’s broader objectives regarding resilience and strategic autonomy.

The discussions concluded with a broad consensus on the value of EU-level coordination in addressing shared environmental and climate challenges, while fully respecting national competencies. Ministers emphasised the importance of aligning ambition with implementation to ensure that resilience, competitiveness and global credibility reinforce one another in both internal EU policies and the Union’s external action.

Photos and video

See photos from the event on the Cyprus Presidency's Flickr account.