European court dismisses Arcelor case
The General Court of the EU has dismissed a long-running case that steelmaker Arcelor brought before the tribunal in 2004. Arcelor wanted exemption from participating in the EU Emission Trading System (ETS), seeking damages for harm caused by emissions caps.
Arcelor - which has since merged with Mittal to become the world's largest steel producer, ArcelorMittal - claimed that the inclusion of the steel sector in the ETS broke EU law on property rights and the freedom to pursue economic activity.
But the General Court (formerly the Court of First Instance) threw out the action for annulment, rejecting Arcelor's application for damages.
The decision is in line with the December 2008 verdict from Europe's highest tribunal, the Court of Justice.
ArcelorMittal said on Thursday that it was "taking note" of the court's decision.
A spokesman for the company said: "We remain concerned that the ETS might put an excessive strain on the EU steel industry's competitiveness ... especially with regards to the third trading period." He added, however, that some of the company's concerns had now been resolved. TMM
Other Related Stories
