Activites

• 2001/07/12 Final act published in Official Journal
• 2000/10/26 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0483/2000 summary

    The Parliament has adopted the report relating to greenhouse gas emissions trading within the European Union. The resolution calls on the Commission to introduce an EU-wide emissions trading system by 2005. This would prepare the EU for the global emissions trading system which is due to be introduced from 2008 under the Kyoto Protocol. It calls for no more than 50% of the total effort to be achieved via flexible mechanisms, namely emissions trading, the Clean Development Mechanism and joint implementation. It should be noted that the Parliament stresses the fact that nuclear power causes environmental problems which should not be underestimated and asks therefore the Commission to examine how it can be guaranteed that under the emission trading scheme renewable energies and energy efficiency are prioritised. Furthermore, the Parliament considers that, as a matter of priority, quantified greenhouse gas abatement targets should be set for emission trading in the EU in advance, per country, and per sector, and that the Commission should present these targets as soon as possible. Such targets should ensure a level playing field. As regards the arrangement for allocating emission permits, Parliament takes the view that the auction model would have an advantage over the grandfathering model. The importance of minimum requirements for transparent monitoring, reporting and verification procedures both at Member State level and EC level and the need for clear and serious penalties for non-compliance is stressed by the Parliament. Lastly, in relation to the quota systems, the Parliament calls for experience of other quota systems, national experiments with emission trading and the World Bank's Prototype Carbon Fund to be taken into account in designing an EU system for negotiable greenhouse gas emission quotas.�

• 2000/10/25 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• #2295
• 2000/10/10 Council Meeting
• 2000/10/09 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0271/2000
• #2278
• 2000/06/22 Council Meeting
• 2000/04/14 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• #2253
• 2000/03/30 Council Meeting
  • 2253
• 2000/03/08 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(2000)0087 summary

    PURPOSE : to present the Green Paper on greenhouse gas emissions trading within the European Union. CONTENT : this Green Paper is intended to launch a discussion on greenhouse gas emissions trading within the European Union, and on the relationship between emissions trading and other policies and measures to address climate change. Under the Kyoto Protocol, the European Community committed itself to reducing its emissions of greenhouse gases by 8% during the period 2008-2012 in comparison with their levels in 1990. It should be noted that emissions trading, both internally within the Community and externally with other industrialised countries, will help to reduce the cost to the Community of respecting its commitments. Together with other policies and measures, emissions trading will be an integral and major part of the Community's implementation strategy. It is the Commission's belief the Community as a whole will need to use all the tools at its disposal to respect its international commitments, and the sooner the concrete steps are taken the better. Emissions trading is a new instrument for environmental protection within the EU, therefore, it is important to gain experience in its implementation before the international emissions trading scheme starts in 2008. Therefore, the Commission believes that a coherent and co-ordinated framework for implementing emissions trading covering all Member States would provide the best guarantee for a smooth functioning internal emissions market. A Community emissions trading scheme would lead to one single price for allowances traded by companies within the scheme, whereas different unconnected national schemes would result in different prices within each national scheme. Furthermore, there are a number of key policy options to be decided upon in establishing such a framework which include: - which countries and which companies in which sectors will participate?; - how, and by whom, should the allocation of allowances be made to the sectors and companies involved in emissions trading compared to those not involved?; - how can emissions trading build upon existing policies and measures such as technical regulation, environmental agreements and fiscal incentives, and - how can equivalence of effort be ensured between companies involved in emissions trading and those subject to other policies and measures?. The Commission believes that a Community approach is necessary to ensure competition is not distorted within the internal market. In conclusion, this Green Paper constitutes the start of a process of exploring these issues. Succinct reactions and opinions are requested, focussed on the questions contained in this document. These are invited to be made by 15/09/2000 so that the Community's implementation strategy can be developed in the light of these opinions immediately after the Sixth Conference of the Parties that will take place in the Hague from 13 to 24 November 2000.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/', 'title': 'Environment'}],

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2000)0087
• Debate in Council: 2253
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A5-0271/2000
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0483/2000

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)