Steelmakers win concessions in EU carbon market reform talks

(EurActiv, 12 Oct 2022) The European steel industry will continue receiving free CO2 pollution permits as part of the reformed EU carbon market, according to the European Parliament’s chief negotiator who said the deal was “good for jobs and investments in Europe”.

“We agreed to continue to support the steel industry by free allowances,” Peter Liese, a German lawmaker and the Parliament’s lead negotiator on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), said in a statement after talks with EU member states and the European Commission held on Monday (10 October).

According to the German lawmaker, the Commission’s proposal would have entailed “a much bigger step for the steel industry than for other industries” as it would have tightened the benchmark against which free allowances for the steel industry are calculated.

With Monday’s agreement, the benchmark will remain unchanged, and the steel industry will continue receiving free allowances “at least until 2032”, Liese said.

“In these times when jobs are under pressure, we think it’s a good message that this proposal is off the table,” said the Christian Democrat lawmaker, who hails from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP).

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EurActiv, 12 Oct 2022: Steelmakers win concessions in EU carbon market reform talks