Press Release: Commission launches debate on further use of market-based instruments to support environment and energy related policy purposes

Following the successful Spring European Council that set very ambitious goals in the area of energy and climate change, the European Commission has adopted a Green Paper on the use of market-based instruments for environment and energy related policy purposes. Since market-based instruments have proven to be cost-effective means of achieving policy goals, the paper aims to stimulate a broad public debate on how taxes, tradable emissions rights and other market-based instruments can be used more widely and effectively for environmental and energy policy purposes at Community and national level. This green paper is a joint project by Commissioners Dimas and Kovács, in association with Commissioners Barrot and Piebalgs.