The European climate change policy commenced long ago, by international efforts to address climate change, which evolved into internal climate policies. The comprehensive policy package to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was launched through the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP). Each of the EU Member States has also implemented its domestic actions, which are constructed on the ECCP measures or complement them.
The first Community strategy to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) was prepared after the initiative of the European Commission in 1991 and involved voluntary commitments to reduce CO2 emissions by 25% from car manufacturers (Council Directive on Driving Licences, 91/439/EEC).
After the commitments, at international level, which emerged from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, the E.U. started the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) in 2000, The aim of the programme was to identify and develop all the necessary elements of an EU strategy for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. The development of the first programme (2000-2004) involved all relevant stakeholder groups, including representatives from various departments of the European Commission, Member States, industry and environmental groups. The second European Climate Change Programme (ECCPII) was launched in October 2005.
At the same time, the necessary legislative framework to achieve the European reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol (-8%) was in progress. The EU was and still is the leader in climate change issues, with the latest example, the climate and energy package.
The first decision to mitigate emissions in the European Community was taken with the adoption of Decision 2002/358/EC of 25 April 2002 concerning the approval, on behalf of the European Community, of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the joint fulfilment of commitments thereunder. To achieve the objectives which were stipulated by the decision, the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) and the Emissions Trading scheme were used.