45 Amendments of Henna VIRKKUNEN related to 2021/0214(COD)
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) As long as a significant number of the Union’s international partners have policy approaches that do not result indo not achieve the same level of climate ambition, there is a risk of carbon leakage, which would undermine the Union’s competitiveness on global markets. Carbon leakage occurs if, for reasons of costs related to climate policies, businesses in certain industry sectors or subsectors were to transfer production to other countries or imports from those countries would replace equivalent but less GHG emissions intensive products-intensive products on the internal market, as well as export markets, or investment into such sectors and subsectors would predominantly flow to such countries and not the Union. That cwould lead to an increase in their total emissions globally, thus jeopardising the reduction of GHG emissions that is urgently needed if the world is to keep the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre- industrial levels.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The initiative for a carbon border adjustment mechanism (‘CBAM’) is a part of the ‘Fit for 55 Package’. That mechanism is to serve as an essential element of the EU toolbox to meet the objective of a climate-neutral Union by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement by addressing risks ofpreventing carbon leakage resulting from the increased Union climate ambition.
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Existing mechanisms to address the risk of carbon leakage in sectors or sub- sectors at risk of carbon leakage are the transitional free allocation of EU ETS allowances and financial measures to compensate for indirect emission costs incurred from GHG emission costs passed on in electricity prices respectively laid down in Articles 10a(6) and 10b of Directive 2003/87/EC. However, free allocation under the EU ETS weakens the price signal that the system provides for the installations receiving it compared to full auctioning and thus affects the incentives for investment into further abatement of emissions. Free allocation at the level of best performers has been an adequate policy instrument for certain industrial sectors to address the risk of carbon leakage in the absence of a fair level playing field.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The CBAM seeks tointends to complement and progressively replace these existing mechanisms by addressing the risk of carbon leakage in a different way, namely by ensuring equivalent carbon pricing for imports and domestic products. To ensure a gradual transition from the current system of free allowances to the CBAM, the CBAM should be progressively phased in while free allowances in sectors covered by the CBAM are phased out. The combined and transitional application of EU ETS allowances allocated free of charge and of the CBAMshould be phased out only after a comprehensive transitional period between 2026 and 2030 and once the CBAM has proven to be efficient, fit for purpose, operational and tested to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage. The combined application of EU ETS allowances allocated free of charge and of the CBAM is needed to allow producers, importers and traders to adjust to the new regime and to assess the effective implementation of the CBAM but should in no case result in more favourable treatment for Union goods compared to goods imported into the customs territory of the Union as continuous trade with third countries are essential for the Union and its diversified supply chains.
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) While the objective of the CBAM is to prevent the risk of carbon leakage, this Regulation would also encourage the use of more GHG emissions-efficient technologies by producers from third countries, so that less emissions per unit of output are generated. The CBAM hence might be an effective measure to lower emissions in third countries while ensuring European industry competitiveness. Reducing emissions in the Union as well as in third countries is an effective way to reduce the risk of carbon leakage. The CBAM should be seen as a step towards global pricing on carbon emissions which would further reduce the risk of carbon leakage globally.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12 a) While the surrendering of CBAM certificates for EU importers addresses the risk of carbon leakage on the EU market, it is essential that the CBAM would also seek to reduce the possibility of European low-carbon exports being replaced by carbon-intensive items on third country markets or by goods that are not subject to equivalent climate policy and carbon costs, undermining the goal of lowering global emissions. It is therefore necessary to continue addressing the risk of carbon leakage associated with European exports to third countries that have not yet limited or priced GHG emissions at the same levels as the EU.
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) As an instrument to prevent carbon leakage and reduce GHG emissions the CBAM should ensure that imported products are subject to a regulatory system that applies carbon costs equivalent to the ones that otherwise would have been borne under the EU ETS. The CBAM is a climate measure which should prevent the risk of carbon leakage and support the Union’s increased ambition on climate mitigation, while ensuring WTO compatibility and industrial competitiveness.
Amendment 151 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13 a) As CBAM is a mechanism that addresses the risk of carbon leakage on the EU market for EU imports, it is essential to avoid the risk that EU exports are replaced by more carbon intensive goods on the global market. Hence, the Commission shall analyse its implementation and effectiveness throughout the administrative transitional period and shall by the end of this period submit a report to the European Parliament and Council that specifies the carbon leakage risk on export markets accompanied with a proposal preventing the carbon leakage risk on export markets with safeguards of products intended for exports, such as export rebates.
Amendment 166 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The GHG emissions to be regulated by the CBAM should correspond to those GHG emissions covered by Annex I to the EU ETS in Directive 2003/87/EC, namely carbon dioxide (‘CO2’) as well as, where relevant, nitrous oxide (‘N2O’) and perfluorocarbons (‘PFCs’). The CBAM should initially apply to direct emissions of those GHG from the production of goods up to the time of import into the customs territory of the Union, and after the end of athe administrative transitional period and upon further assessment on the impact on carbon leakage for energy-intensive sectors with a withdrawal of EU ETS compensation, as well to indirect emissions, mirroring the scope of the EU ETS.
Amendment 173 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) However, while the EU ETS sets an absolute cap on the GHG emissions from the activities under its scope and allows tradability of allowances (so called ‘cap and trade system’), the CBAM shouldmust not establish quantitative limits to import, so as to ensure that trade flows are not restricted or disrupted. Moreover, while the EU ETS applies to installations based in the Union, the CBAM should be applied to certain goods imported into the customs territory of the Union to ensure a level playing field and prevent the risk of carbon leakage while ensuring compatibility with WTO.
Amendment 189 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) In terms of sanctions, Member States should apply penalties to infringements or circumvention practises of this Regulation and ensure that they are implemented. The amount of those penalties should be identical to penalties currently applied within the Union in case of infringement of EU ETS according to Article 16(3) and (4) of Directive 2003/87/EC.
Amendment 193 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Whilst the ultimate objective of the CBAM is a broader product coverage, it would beis prudent to start with a selected number of sectors with relatively homogeneous products where there is a risk of carbon leakage. The Commission should consider to further extend the scope of included goods, when CBAM is proven efficient to reduce carbon leakage for the sectors included in Annex I of this Regulation. A proposal of the inclusion of finished goods shall be presented by the Commission before the comprehensive transitional period. Union sectors deemed at risk of carbon leakage are listed in Commission Delegated Decision 2019/70842 . __________________ 42Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/708 of 15 February 2019 supplementing Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the determination of sectors and subsectors deemed at risk of carbon leakage for the period 2021 to 2030 (OJ L 120, 8.5.2019, p. 2).
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) The goods under this Regulation should be selected after a careful analysis of their relevance in terms of cumulated GHG emissions and risk of carbon leakage in the corresponding EU ETS sectors while limiting complexity and administrative burden for European industry, affected authorities, companies and SMEs. In particular, the actual selection should take into account basic materials and basic products covered by the EU ETS with the objective of ensuring that imports of energy intensive products into the Union are on equal footing with EU products in terms of EU ETS carbon pricing, and to mitigate risks of carbon leakage. Other relevant criteria to narrow the selection should be: firstly, relevance of sectors in terms of emissions, namely whether the sector is one of the largest aggregate emitters of GHG emissions; secondly, sector’s exposure to significant risk of carbon leakage, as defined pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC; thirdly, the need to balance broad coverage in terms of GHG emissions while limiting complexity and administrative effort.
Amendment 225 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 40
Recital 40
(40) An authorised declarant should be allowed to claim a reduction in the number of CBAM certificates to be surrendered corresponding to the carbon price already paid for those emissions in other jurisdictions or where the declarant can show that the production has caused no emissions.
Amendment 235 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) To avoid risks of circumvention and improve the traceability of actual CO2 emissions from import of electricity and its use in goods, the calculation of actual emissions should only be permitted through a number of strict conditions. In particular, it should be necessary to demonstrate a firm nomination of the allocated interconnection capacity and that there is a direct contractual relation between the purchaser and the producer of the renewable electricity, or between the purchaser and the producer of electricity having lower than default value emissions. when the origin of imported electricity is guaranteed with guarantees of origin or similar method, the method shall be approved by the Authority responsible for CBAM and it shall be comparative to the methodology used in the European Union.
Amendment 236 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) To avoid risks of circumvention and improve the traceability of actual CO2 emissions from import of electricity and its use in goods, the calculation of actual emissions should only be permitted through a number of strict conditions. In particular, it should be necessary to demonstrate a firm nomination of the allocated interconnection capacity and that there is a direct contractual relation between the purchaser and the producer of the renewable and low carbon electricity, or between the purchaser and the producer of electricity having lower than default value emissions. .
Amendment 238 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46 a (new)
Recital 46 a (new)
(46 a) To reduce the risk of carbon leakage as well as to ensure a level playing field for European industry, all practices of circumvention shall be prohibited. The Commission shall evaluate the risk of circumvention practices, especially the likelihood of modified trade patterns towards downstream products, as well as resource shuffling, cost absorption, manipulation of emissions data, wrongful labelling of goods and slight modifications of the product so as to import a product under a different customs code of all sectors included in Annex I of this Regulation. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts to strengthen anti- circumvention measures when appropriate.
Amendment 243 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 48
Recital 48
(48) Integration of third countries into the Union electricity market is an important drive for those countries to accelerate their transition to energy systems with high shares of renewable energies. Market coupling for electricity, as set out in Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/122246 , enables third countries to better integrate electricity from renewable and low carbon energies into the electricity market, to exchange such electricity in an efficient manner within a wider area, balancing supply and demand with the larger Union market, and reduce the carbon intensity of their electricity generation. Integration of third countries into the Union electricity market also contributes to the security of electricity supplies in those countries and in the neighbouring Member States. __________________ 46Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1222 of 24 July 2015 establishing a guideline on capacity allocation and congestion management (OJ L 197, 25.7.2015, p. 24).
Amendment 247 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 49 a (new)
Recital 49 a (new)
(49 a) This Regulation shall progressively enter into force in two steps. Between 2023 and 2025 an administrative transitional period where Articles set out in Article 36 (a) and (c) of this Regulation shall apply. Between 2026 and 2030 a comprehensive transitional period where all Articles set out in Article 36 of this Regulation shall apply. During this period free allocation should remain in place.
Amendment 250 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 50
Recital 50
(50) An administrative transitional period without financial adjustment should apply during the period 2023 until 2025. A CBAM without financial adjustment should applyto 2025, with the objective to facilitate a smooth roll out of the mechanism hence reducing the risk of disruptive impacts on trade and European industry. Declarants should have to report on a quarterly basis the actual embedded emissions in goods imported during the administrative transitional period, detailing direct and indirect emissions as well as any carbon price paid abroad.
Amendment 257 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 50 a (new)
Recital 50 a (new)
(50 a) A comprehensive transitional period with financial adjustment should apply during the period 2026 to 2030, with the objective to facilitate a smooth roll out of the mechanism hence reducing the risk of disproportionate impacts on European industry.
Amendment 258 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 50 b (new)
Recital 50 b (new)
(50 b) A temporary Carbon Leakage Protection Reserve should be established between 2031 to 2035, linked to the reduction of free allocation. Each year, the free allocation no longer provided to the CBAM sectors, based on the free allocation phase-out calculation, should be placed into the temporary Carbon Leakage Reserve. To this purpose the Commission shall every year, from 2031 to 2035, present to the parliament and Council a report on the effectiveness of this Regulation in lowering carbon leakage. By 28 February, the following year the Commission shall report to the Parliament and the Council on the entry into force of CBAM and its effectiveness during the preceding year. If the assessment is positive, the allowances placed in the reserve should automatically be auctioned. If the assessment proves negative impact on lowering carbon leakage, the allowances placed in the reserve should automatically be returned to industry, to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage.
Amendment 265 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52
Recital 52
(52) The Commission should evaluate the application of this Regulation before the end of the administrative transitional period and report to the European Parliament and the Council. The report of the Commission should in particular focus on possibilities to enhance climate actions towards the objective of a climate neutral Union by 2050. The Commission should, as part of that evaluation, initiate collection of information necessary to possibly extend the scope of Annex I to indirect emissions, as well as to other goods and services at risk of carbon leakage, such as finished goods, and to develop methods of calculating embedded emissions based on the environmental footprint methods47 .. The Commission should in particular focus on: (a) the impact on competitiveness of European industry and downstream industry, impact on SMEs, possible disproportionate administrative burden, possible circumvention practices, distortion in trade patterns and possibilities to enhance climate actions towards a climate neutral Union by 2050. Accompanied by proposals to avoid negative impact on such sectors; (b) a proposal to avoid possible carbon leakage in export markets; (c) a proposal to extend the scope of this Regulation to finished goods containing goods listed in Annex I; to ensure competitiveness of European manufacturing industry and prevent carbon leakage; __________________ 47Commission Recommendation 2013/179/EU of 9 April 2013 on the use of common methods to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organisations (OJ L 124, 4.5.2013, p. 1).
Amendment 275 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52 a (new)
Recital 52 a (new)
Amendment 279 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52 b (new)
Recital 52 b (new)
(52 b) In case the CBAM is proven not to be efficient in lowering carbon leakage, creates disproportionate disadvantages for European industry or severe shortcomings appear in the implementation of this Regulation during the comprehensive transitional period, the Commission shall present a new or revised legislative proposal aiming at lowering carbon leakage in order for the Union to reach its goal of climate neutrality 2050.
Amendment 280 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52 c (new)
Recital 52 c (new)
(52 c) If the CBAM is challenged by WTO and as an effect not implemented, the Commission shall present a revised legislative proposal aiming at lowering carbon leakage.
Amendment 282 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 53
Recital 53
(53) In light of the above, a dialogue with third countries should continue and there should be space for cooperation and solutions that could inform the specific choices that will be made on the details of the design of the measure during the implementation, in particular during the transitional periods.
Amendment 286 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 54
Recital 54
(54) The Commission should strive to engage in an even handed manner and in line with the international obligations of the EU, with the third countries whose trade to the EU is affected by this Regulation, to explore possibilities for dialogue and cooperation with regard to the implementation of specific elements of the Mechanism set out this Regulation and related implementing acts. It should also explore possibilities for concluding agreements to take into account their carbon pricing mechanism, provided that they deliver equivalent GHG emissions reductions and carbon costs constraints.
Amendment 293 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 58
Recital 58
(58) In order for CBAM to be efficient in lowering carbon leakage, all possible circumvention practices should be addressed by this Regulation. In order to remedy circumvention of the provisions of this Regulation, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of TFEU should be delegated to the Commission in respect of supplementing the list of goods in Annex I.
Amendment 302 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes a carbon border adjustment mechanism (the ‘CBAM’) for addressing greenhouse gas emissions embedded in the goods referred to in Annex I, upon their importation into the customs territory of the Union, in order to prevent the risk of carbon leakage from the EU and contribute to the reduction of global carbon emissions.
Amendment 321 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The CBAM shall be compatible with WTO rules.
Amendment 616 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2
Article 27 – paragraph 2
2. Practices of circumvention include situations where a change in the pattern of trade in relation to goods included in the scope of this Regulation, whether slightly modified or not, stems from a practice, process or work that have has insufficient due cause or economic justification other than avoiding obligations as laid down in this Regulation and consist in replacing those goods with slightly modified products, which are not included in the list of goods in Annex I but belong to a sector included in the scope of this Regulation, or undermining their effects, including on overall GHG emissions and on prices of the like products.
Amendment 618 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point 1 (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point 1 (new)
(1) The practice, processor work referred to in the first subparagraph include, inter alia:
Amendment 619 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
(a) the slight modification of a product to make it fall under another customs code which are not subject to the obligations of this Regulation; b) false declarations regarding identity of the producer, the product concerned, the nature of the product concerned or the production process; (c) the consignment of the product concerned via third countries where no or more favourable obligations apply; (d) the reorganisation by exporters or producers of their patterns and channels of sales in order to avoid obligations of this Regulation, or undermine their effects, for instance via practices of resource shuffling. Resource shuffling shall be defined as any practice, process or work that that have insufficient due cause or economic justification other than avoiding obligations as laid down in this Regulation, or undermining their effects, without delivering environmental benefits on global GHG emissions; (e) in the circumstances indicated in paragraph 2, the assembly of parts by an assembly operation in the Union or a third country.
Amendment 652 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2
Article 30 – paragraph 2
Amendment 667 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. During the comprehensive transitional period, biannual between 2025-2030 and every year thereafter until 2035 the Commission shall evaluate the application of this Regulation and report to the European parliament and the Council. The Commission should in particular focus on: (a) the impact on European industry and downstream industry of sectors listed in Annex I, as well as on SMEs and possible additional administrative burden for SMEs; (b) the effectiveness of this Regulation in reducing carbon leakage and possible circumvention practices; and (c) the impact of CBAM on Union trade of goods listed in Annex I and possible distortion in trade patterns;
Amendment 674 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. In case the CBAM is proven not to be efficient in lowering carbon leakage, the Commission shall present a new or revised legislative proposal aiming at lowering carbon leakage. Once the CBAM has fully demonstrated its WTO- compatibility, its effectiveness in equalising CO2 costs between imported and domestic products and in protecting the competitiveness of European exports, the free allocation received by these sectors should be gradually phased out, however not prior to 2030. This phase-out of free allocation should be kept under review in light of the entry into force and effective implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Amendment 676 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 3 b (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. In the event that the Commission in its annual report between 2031-2035 concludes that, the CBAM has been effectively implemented in a way that leads to a level of carbon leakage protection at least equivalent to that of the free allocation system which it replaces under this Article, the allowances placed in the Carbon Border Adjustment Reserve for the preceding calendar year shall be made available to support innovation in accordance with Article 10a(8) of Directive 2003/87/EC.
Amendment 677 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 3 c (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. In the event that the Commission in its report concludes that the CBAM has not been effectively implemented in a way that leads to a level of carbon leakage protection at least equivalent to that of the free allocation system which it replaces, the allowances placed in the Carbon Border Adjustment Reserve for the preceding calendar year shall be reallocated to installations in accordance with Article10a(1) of Directive 2003/87/EC.
Amendment 686 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 31 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. With respect to electricity, the obligation to surrender CBAM certificates shall enter into force step-by-step in four years. Starting with an obligation to surrender CBAM certificates corresponding to 25 % of the CO2 content of the imported electricity in the first year, and adding 25 % each year so that in the fourth year the obligation applies to full CO2 content of the imported electricity.
Amendment 695 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 31 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. For the first years of operation of this Regulation, the production of products listed in Annex I shall benefit from free allocation in reduced amounts. A factor reducing the free allocation for the production of those products shall be applied (CBAM factor). The CBAM factor shall be equal to 100 % for the period between 2026 and the end of 2030, 80 % in 2031 and shall be reduced by 20 percentage points each year to reach 0 % by the fifth year.
Amendment 700 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 1
Article 32 – paragraph 1
During the administrative transitional period of this Regulation, the CBAM mechanism shall apply as a reporting obligation as set out in Articles 33 to 35.
Amendment 750 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – point 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Annex III – point 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
An authorised declarant may require to apply actual embedded emissions instead of default values for the calculation referred to in Article 7(3) if one the following cumulative criteria are met:
Amendment 751 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – point 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Annex III – point 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) an equivalent amount of electricity to the electricity for which the use of actual embedded emissions is claimed has been firmly nominated to the allocated interconnection capacity by all responsible transmission system operators in the countryguaranteed with guarantees of origin, and the country of destination and, if relevant, each third country of transit, and the nominated capacity and the production of electricity by the installation referred to in point (b) refer to the same period of time which shall not be longer than one hoursystem has been approved by the competent European authority;
Amendment 754 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Part 2 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Annex IV – Part 2 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
For each type of goods, other than electricity, to which this Regulation applies, the following additional data has to be kept: