The European Commission reaffirmed its commitment to cut emissions by 90% by 2040, publishing a “Clean Industry Deal” setting out plans to help the biggest polluters the bloc’s industries in decarbonising, the Guardian reports. The plan includes 40 different measures to help speed up the transition, it continues, such as faster permits for wind farms and other infrastructure and changing public procurement rules to favour clean technologies made in Europe. The newspaper adds: “The commission also published a plan aimed at cutting energy bills for businesses and consumers, as well as controversial proposals to ease environmental reporting requirements for small and medium-sized enterprises.” Bloomberg says the Commission's plan "maintains its ambitious climate goals while seeking to improve the competitiveness of industry in the face of growing rivalry from the US and China." The plan will include €100 billion in funding for "climate-friendly production premiums in the EU," it says. Politics The deal will help support renewable energy companies that are “struggling with cheap foreign imports and sluggish demand,” it said. DW The plan includes a target for 40 % renewable energy technologies to be produced in the EU, it adds. The Commission has also proposed the creation of an EU Critical Raw Materials Hub to facilitate joint purchasing of key metals and minerals needed for the energy transition, the agency says. Reuters . The broader clean industry deal includes “simplification of bureaucracy and carbon taxes and is subject to approval in the European Parliament and a strong majority of EU member states,” it adds. The proposal to reduce corporate environmental reporting requirements would limit the rules to companies with more than 1,000 employees and revenues above €50 million ($53 million), it says. New York Times. (Jennifer Rankin and Ajit Niranjan, The Guardian)