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Italian minister calls for suspension of EU Emissions Trading System scheme
2026-02-26 17:17:28 / BOTA
Italian Enterprise Minister Adolfo Urso called for the suspension of the European Union's carbon pricing scheme, the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), as the bloc looks for ways to boost its struggling industries.
"The ETS mechanism, as it stands today, is nothing more than a tax, an obligation for companies that use a lot of energy and are no longer able to compete," Urso said today in Brussels, ahead of a meeting of EU ministers responsible for competitiveness.
Under the ETS, businesses in sectors such as electricity generation, industrial manufacturing and aviation must purchase permits for their greenhouse gas emissions.
The system currently covers around 40% of total EU emissions.
As Europe's industry faces relatively high energy prices, some EU countries are arguing that high energy prices, together with the costs of emissions certificates, are a significant burden on industrial sectors.
Urso said the ETS is forcing the relocation of energy-intensive production outside Europe and is fueling financial speculation.
"We all need to be aware that it needs to be fundamentally revised," he said.
However, the ETS, which was first introduced more than 20 years ago, has been hailed as one of the main drivers of innovation, as it pushes businesses to apply for solutions that reduce emissions.
German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche supported the ETS, but said the European emissions trading system needed to be further developed.
"The German government was in favor of rapid reform," she said.
The European Commission is currently working on a long-planned evaluation of the ETS, and its findings are expected to be announced in the coming months.
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