Press Release: Emissions trading: Commission clears over 5,000 plants to enter emissions market next January

The European Commission decided on 7 July 2004 to accept eight national allocation plans for CO2 emission allowances. Five plans - from Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden - have been accepted unconditionally. Another three - from Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom - have been approved on condition that technical changes are made. This will make them automatically acceptable, without requiring a second assessment by the Commission. National allocation plans outline the number of CO2 emission allowances that Member States intend to allocate to energy-intensive industrial plants, so they can participate in emissions trading from January 2005. This decision clears over 5,000 plants of an estimated 12,000 in the EU25. They will receive over 40% of the allowances expected to be put into circulation. The EU emissions trading scheme will ensure that greenhouse gas emissions in the energy and industry sectors are cut at least cost to the economy and help the EU and its Member States meet their emission targets under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/environment/climat/emission.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/environment/climat/emission.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/emission/emission_plans.htm http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/emission/emission_plans.htm

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