EU emission trading scheme Directive, CCS Directive enter into force

The Directive amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the EU greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system (EU ETSⁱ) and the Directive on the geological storage of carbon dioxide (CCS) have been published in the EU’s Official Journal (OJ) this month along with the rest of the climate change package. The EU ETS Directive revises the emissions trading system as from 2013 (see April Eurobrief). The Directive entered into force on the 25 June. The geological storage of carbon dioxide Directive provides a legal framework for carbon capture and storage (CCS). The Directive states that Member States will determine the areas to be made available for storage, specify the condition for site use and include provisions governing exploration. EU leaders have agreed to spend €1.05 billion on developing carbon capture and storage plants as part of a €5 billion stimulus package that will be taken from the EU budget in 2009 and 2010 and spent on energy and broadband technology projects. Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK will each receive €180 million, while Italy will receive €100 million and France €50 million.

The two Directives can be found here:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:140:0063:0087:EN:PDF

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:140:0114:0135:EN:PDF