Press Release: European Commission acts to improve monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions

The European Commission proposed on 5 February 2003 the strengthening of the existing EU system for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions to bring it in line with obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. The proposal aims to help the EU and the Member States to comply with their international commitments in the area of climate change by introducing further harmonisation of emission forecasts in addition to reinforcing the EU rules applying to monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions. The new monitoring system will also cover the Kyoto Protocol's so-called 'flexible mechanisms' (emission trading, the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation) and registries. Thereby, not only emissions, but also emission rights will be monitored through the new system.