"No doubt, this involves lifestyle changes. Various initiatives are one of the ways, but it eventually comes down to citizens' choices, too," he said in an interview with BNS in Brussels.

Last Friday, EU leaders, except for Poland, committed to reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

According to Sinkevicius, the bloc will help citizens change their consumption habits.

"For example, the circular economy, which is part of my portfolio, will encourage a longer technology cycle, because today we see that decisions on the lifespan of many technologies, including everyday home appliances, are made at the design phase," the commissioner said.

"We'll try to change the Design Directive to increase the lifespan of equipment, appliances and various items, which would equally contribute to reducing consumption and saving resources," he said.

"The circular economy plan will be one of the ways to offer citizens alternatives making it possible both to save money and use resources efficiently," he added.

According to Sinkevicius, Poland, which currently does not agree to commit to a climate-neutral economy, risks "losing great opportunities and major investments".

As part of climate change measures, the EU plans to impose a levy on goods imported from more polluting countries, the commissioner said, adding that this will be necessary to keep the EU economy competitive.

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