EC mulls tax on imports from carbon polluters

09 January 2008 11:24  [Source: ICIS news]

PARIS (ICIS news)--The European Commission (EC) said on Wednesday it will consider imposing import duties on goods produced in countries that failed to agree to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

 

“We do not foresee the need to go down that route at the moment,” said EC spokeswoman Barbara Helferrich. “But it is an option that we may consider if European Union [EU] businesses are being disadvantaged.”

 

Any move will most likely target imports of energy-intensive products such as steel from India or China, where production costs are lower as environmental regulations are weaker.

 

But Helferrich stressed such a decision would only be taken as a last resort.

 

“We are still hopeful of reaching a global deal on climate change and reducing emissions which would make it unnecessary to do this,” she said.

 

The EU has pledged to cut CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020, or by 30% if there is a global agreement on climate change.

By: Chris Jones
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