Environment Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo said on Monday that the European Union's package on climate change needed ''profound changes'' in light of the global economic crisis.
Speaking ahead of an EU environment ministers' conference, she confirmed that Italy would ask for a revision clause in the package approved last March, which sets a 2020 deadline to reduce greenhouse gases by 20% compared to 1990 levels.
''The package as it stands is not acceptable for us,'' she said, adding that Italy had ''many requests for modifications''.
Prestigiacomo also hit back at criticism from EU sources over Italy's cost estimates for the application of the package.
The EU have set costs at 9.5-12.3 billion euros, while Italy claims these will be 18-25 billion.
European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said Friday he ''did not know'' where Italy's numbers came from, ''but they are not scenarios that are based on our climate package''.
Prestigiacomo said Monday that she was ''absolutely sure of our numbers'' and proposed the creation of a technical committee to verify costs.
