Energie: CO2-Handel: EU will Preissprünge für Industrie verhindern

To prevent price fluctuations for industry, the European Union plans to intervene in the carbon emissions trading system and introduce climate protection rules. EU negotiators and the European Parliament agreed to increase a reserve for emissions certificates, the sides announced. However, further adjustments are currently being discussed.

Certain companies must provide certificates for the release of climate-damaging gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) in Europe and trade them as needed. The EU emissions trading system aims to incentivize the reduction of greenhouse gases, particularly in energy-intensive sectors. Currently, the system mainly applies to power generation and industry.

In recent years, however, more emission certificates have been available than used by companies. Unused certificates are kept in the market stability reserve (MSR). When there are too many in the market, some are moved into the reserve. If there are too few certificates or the price rises sharply, the reserve releases additional certificates, lowering prices and relieving companies needing emissions certificates.

This could change as the reserve's maximum limit was previously set at 400 million certificates, with excess ones declared invalid. The commission proposed lifting the cap, but negotiators from the Council and Parliament agreed on Tuesday not to completely remove it. Instead, up to 700 million certificates will be held in the reserve in the future.

This provides a larger buffer for market fluctuations while protecting against an oversupply of certificates in the market. The interim agreement still needs to be approved and formally adopted by the Council and Parliament. EU leaders demanded faster progress on the ongoing legislative process for the market stability reserve during a meeting in Brussels last week.

Irish Minister Darragh O'Brien, responsible for the EU's perspective, noted that a balanced solution had been achieved. Both the Parliament and Council are currently working on a broader commission proposal to revise the emissions trading system.