Luxembourg strengthens its European climate diplomacy: working visit by Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra

The European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra, conducted a working visit to Luxembourg from 15 to 16 April. On this occasion, he was received for an exchange of views on current European affairs by the Prime Minister, Luc Frieden, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation and Foreign Affairs, Xavier Bettel. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, also met with Commissioner Hoekstra for discussions focusing on European and international climate policy challenges.

The Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, met on 16 April with the European Commissioner responsible for climate, net zero and clean growth, Wopke Hoekstra, as part of discussions focusing on the European and international dimensions of climate policy.

Climate diplomacy and the role of the European Union

Against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions and increasingly severe climate impacts, Minister Serge Wilmes and Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra underlined the need for the European Union to continue to play a leading role in international climate diplomacy. The exchange highlighted the importance of maintaining a high level of climate ambition, while strengthening cooperation with international partners, in particular in the run-up to upcoming multilateral milestones.

Climate finance: Luxembourg as an international platform

Discussions also addressed the central role of international climate fi nance in enhancing ambition and supporting the implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. On this occasion, Minister Serge Wilmes invited Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra to attend the opening session of the Luxembourg International Climate Finance Days, an invitation which the Commissioner accepted.

Organised for the fi rst time from 3 to 5 June 2026, this initiative of the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity will bring together political decision-makers and fi nancial sector stakeholders with the aim of accelerating concrete solutions to mobilise private capital, strengthen the impact of climate fi nance, and create a strategic bridge between the outcomes of the COPs in Baku and Belém, in view of COP Antalya and beyond.

Exchange of views on the ETS and dynamics within the Council

The meeting also provided an opportunity for a focused exchange on developments in the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) and current dynamics within the Council.

Minister Serge Wilmes and Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra stressed the importance of the ETS in achieving the European Union's climate objectives. They expressed the expectation that the introduction of ETS2, covering in particular buildings and road transport, will deliver comparable effectiveness for these key sectors from 2028 onwards, while ensuring a balanced and socially fair implementation, fully consistent with the European Union's climate goals. 

Press release by the Ministry of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity