Eurobrief January 2010

Commission Decision 2010/2/EU determining a list of sectors and subsectors which are deemed to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage has been published in the European Union’s Official Journal (OJ).

EU Finance Ministers approved in December an amendment to EU VAT (value-added tax) rules in a bid to prevent fraudulent practices connected with the EU ETS.

Opposition from the UK, Germany, Spain and Poland to European Commission proposals for a centralised system of auctioning carbon allowances in the EU ETS from 2013-20 could mean that the proposal is delayed.

The implementation of carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) on a large scale could help the cement sector reduce its emissions by 18% by 2050 compared with current levels, estimates the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The European Commission has approved the allocation of €1.05 billion to seven carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Europe.

A carbon tax for sectors not covered by the EU ETS, starting at €15 per tonne, has been adopted by the Irish Parliament. There are no exemptions except for ETS sectors.

Efforts to develop sectoral approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions did not go well at Copenhagen, according to the chair of the working group on long-term cooperative action (AWG-LCA).