The group – said to include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania – is unhappy with the way a 40% greenhouse gas target is proposed to be shared. It is feared the states could try and derail the whole process.

The EU’s 28 leaders are aiming to agree on a trio of targets for 2030: cutting Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below 1990 levels, setting a 27% renewable energy target from 1990 levels, and improving the energy efficiency target to 30% compared with 2010.

Poland,