The European Parliament insists on including ships, cars and planes in the EU’s energy saving goals for 2030. But those very objectives remain a hot issue, with the latest EU presidency compromise proposal opting for a weaker, indicative 31-33% target range.

Legislators are nearing the finishing line on the revised energy efficiency Directive, according to Benedek Jávor, a Hungarian lawmaker with the Greens political group in the European Parliament. Speaking to Brussels-based journalists on Tuesday (8 May), Jávor said the fresh negotiation mandate recently agreed by EU member states in the Council of Ministers has now opened the door for a compromise.

The energy efficiency directive is part of a wider clean energy package of legislation tabled by the European Commission in November 2016. But Eastern EU member states are reluctant to accept binding goals and obligations – a concern Parliament took on board by accepting to lower its own level of ambition when it voted on the proposed law in January.

Representatives from the European Commission, Parliament and Council are due to meet on 16 May for three-way talks that could prove decisive in clinching a final deal, Jávor said. But no agreement will be struck until a broad settlement can be reached on key remaining issues, said the Hungarian MEP who represents the Greens faction in the Parliament negotiating team, according to Euractiv.com.

Here are the main sticking points ahead of the 16 May talks:

Headline target: The Bulgarian EU Presidency, which steers negotiations on behalf of the 28 EU countries, has proposed an indicative 31-33% energy saving goal, which comes a step closer to the 35% binding objective voted on by Parliament in January. But the figure isn’t legally-binding, which is a major source of concern for MEPs. Going for a 30% non-binding target, like the Council asked in December, would be clearly “unacceptable” for Parliament, Jávor said, dividing EU countries into three groups:

The “progressives”: Led by France and Sweden, which back a 35% target. A sub-group is composed of the Netherlands, Portugal, and Luxembourg, which Jávor said “are open to go beyond the 30% target”. Then come Denmark, Ireland and Germany, which “are most likely to be on this side as well,” the Hungarian MEP said.

The “intermediate” group: Broadly supporting the Commission’s proposed 30% objective. This group is made up of most of EU member states, including Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Greece, Czech Republic and others.

The “less ambitious” group: Made up of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Latvia, who are either opposing the 30% target or are undecided. The 31-33% proposal from the Bulgarian Presidency “could be basis for a deal,” Jávor suggested. But the objectives needs to be binding and loopholes must be closed, he insisted, referring to flexibilities and exemptions that are envisaged in the latest compromise proposal circulated by the Bulgarian Presidency.