The European Union (EU) plans to sign a partnership agreement on hydrogen and renewable energy with Egypt during the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), which will kick off on Sunday in Sharm El-Sheikh. The agreement will form a framework for investments and is part of Brussels' strategy to import 10 million tons of hydrogen by 2030 as well as producing 10 million tons domestically, an EU official stated on Friday. "We are reaching out gradually to our partners like Egypt to help make this a reality," added the official. The agreement with Egypt will aim to establish "conducive certification of renewable hydrogen that can be traded between Egypt and Europe," said the EU official. The EU is also set to sign agreements next week with countries such as Namibia and Kazakhstan. Earlier in June, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a joint statement after a meeting in Cairo stating that they would focus on renewable energy partnerships. EU, Egypt, and Israel have previously signed a trilateral agreement for the export of natural gas to Europe. EU's von der Leyen will be in Sharm El Sheikh this week and is expected to make propositions regarding renewable hydrogen trading during roundtables on Tuesday. Later in the week, European Commission's executive vice-president Frans Timmermans will then take over negotiations. The Egyptian government is expected to launch its green hydrogen strategy during COP27. The North African country is on course to ensuring 100 percent of its national projects meet green criteria by 2030, Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad told reporters earlier in September.
