LEGAL REGULATION OF CLIMATE NEUTRALITY IN THE EU: EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL

Introduction. The path to climate neutrality in the EU serves as the foundation for current and future regulatory initiatives of the EU, especially those based on the European Green Deal — the EU's climate and energy strategy, which was created following the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) and the Paris Agreement. This legislative initiative aims at a rapid reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the face of ongoing climate challenges. To address these challenges, a new framework document with broad support from various EU policies in achieving the set goal has been created. The European Commission proposed this European Green Deal, which received support from the European Parliament and the Council. This new framework document refers to other EU legislative acts and policies, such as the “Fit for 55” package, and other laws related to energy and climate. It serves as an important signal for EU member states to continue developing comprehensive policies and plans to achieve climate neutrality. This document also paves the way for the adoption of future legislative packages and the creation of new financial instruments. EU politicians occasionally use the term “Climate Pact” to emphasize the importance of this act and its special regulatory status. Purpose. The purpose of the research is to analyze the current provisions of the European Green Deal as a framework document, which is a key strategy of the European Union in the fields of climate, energy, and sustainable development, and lays the groundwork for modifying existing and creating new EU legislation aimed at achieving EU climate neutrality. Attention is also paid to the analysis of regulatory acts that have been adopted to implement the provisions of the European Green Deal, such as the “Fit for 55” and other EU Directives and Regulations. Materials and methods. The materials of the research include EU regulatory documents that regulate the EU's path to climate neutrality, as well as documents related to their implementation. During the research process, the following scientific methods were utilized: the method of legal analysis (to characterize the regulatory provisions of the European Green Deal and other regulatory acts); comparative legal analysis (to study the effectiveness and efficiency of legislation, as well as the interrelation of different regulatory acts in the field of EU climate neutrality); logical generalization of results (formulation of conclusions). Results. The paper examined the current state of legal mechanisms for achieving EU climate neutrality based on the provisions of the European Green Deal. The implementation tools of the European Green Deal were analyzed and classified into groups (EU strategies and action plans, national strategies, regulatory frameworks, and financial resources). The mechanisms provided for in the European Green Deal to combat the consequences of climate change were investigated (mechanisms to strengthen mid-term climate goals and effectively regulate carbon pricing). The main political instruments that the EU can use to achieve its climate goals were identified. Discussion. In further research it is proposed to focus on studying the European strategies and action plans adopted by the EU during 2020–21 to implement the European Green Deal. This will allow Ukraine to conduct a comprehensive and thorough harmonization of its legislation with EU legislation.