Support for the implementation of the Social Climate Fund :Note on good practices of public consultation for the Social Climate Plans : executive summary

The Social Climate Fund, established by the Social Climate Fund Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/955), aims to support vulnerable households, micro-enterprises and transport users impacted by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport within the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC. Each Member State is required to develop a Social Climate Plan, proposing a coherent set of measures and investments, which will serve as a basis for the allocation of funding. As per Article 5(1) of the Regulation, Member States are required to (1) conduct a public consultation with key stakeholders prior to submitting their Social Climate Plans in compliance with their national legal framework; (2) summarise the received input; and (3) explain how the outcomes of the public consultation have been integrated. This document provides guidance to Member States with regard to the requirement to conduct public consultations. It details why they are important, it outlines key principles for a good public consultation and establishes a step-by-step process for designing and implementing public consultations in the context of the Social Climate Plans.