The EU’s 2007 Climate and Energy Package with its ambitious 2020 targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to increase the share of renewable energy and to improve energy efficiency has triggered a policy and legislative agenda with far-reaching consequences for European companies.

For companies it is essential to operate in a predictable EU policy framework which integrates climate protection, energy security as well as competitiveness concerns. The EU policy agenda should include in particular:

• implementation of the revised EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), ensuring that it does not hurt the competitiveness of European industry;
• fostering a truly global and balanced climate agreement, including the world’s major emitters;
• development of an overarching EU energy policy, creating the clear strategic framework needed for definition of a coherent and effective climate policy;
• strengthening of EU research and capabilities in low-carbon technologies ;
• full exploitation of the cost-effective energy efficiency possibilities that fall within the ambit of business, consumers and the public sector;
• facilitation, reform and expansion of the Kyoto Protocol's flexible mechanisms (Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation) to make a contribution to climate protection

Copenhagen scorecard - what European business wants to see in an international agreement on climate change 28 October 2009 – 2009-02309-E.pdf (1.35 MB) European business is committed to tackling climate change globally and was therefore disappointed by the limited outcome of the Copenhagen climate summit in December 2009. In this "Copenhagen Scorecard" BUSINESSEUROPE is putting forward the elements which a successful international agreement must contain to effectively combat climate change.

Combating climate change - Four key principles for a successful international agreement 14 October 2009 – 2008-01859-E.pdf (2 MB) European companies actively support the EU climate change objectives. But unilateral action will not solve the problem. A pragmatic global approach is needed which ensures that emission reductions in one place do not simply lead to emission increases somewhere else in the world. In view of the international climate change conferences in Poznan and Copenhagen, BUSINESSEUROPE is proposing four key principles that should guide negotiations towards a successful international agreement on combating climate change: mobilise all major economies to reduce emissions as soon as possible; establish a level playing field for industry throughout the world; strengthen global market mechanisms to reduce emissions, linking developed and developing regions; ensure all cost-efficient climate technologies are deployed and developed.

2010

September

Business priorities for the Belgian Presidency (10 September 2010) - 2010-01864-E.pdf (112 kB) Letter from President J&uum;rgen R. Thumann handed over to Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme

June

Thinking ahead on international trade (TAIT) (17 June 2010) - 2010-01467-E.pdf (797 kB) Presentation by Reinhard Quick in round table 5 - Climate-linked tariffs and subsidies: economic aspects (competitiveness and leakage) - Border-tax adjustment in the context of ETS, environmental goods

Tackling carbon leakage: viable policy options (9 June 2010) - 2010-01375-E.pdf (529 kB) Presentation by Folker Franz at the European Parliament public hearing

May

European climate change policy (26 May 2010) - 2010-01280-E.pdf (92 kB) Press release in reaction to the Commission communication on climate change policy published on 26 May 2010

European climate change policy (21 May 2010) - 2010-01257-E.pdf (266 kB) Letter from President Jürgen R. Thumann to José Manuel Barroso in view of the Commission communication on climate change policy published on 26 May 2010

Competitiveness Council on 25-26 May 2010 (20 May 2010) - 2010-01242-E.pdf (561 kB) Letter from Philippe de Buck to Competitiveness Council Chair Miguel Sebastián Gascón and Co-Chairs Christina Garmendia Medizábal and Diego López Garrido

Round table with EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and business leaders (17 May 2010) - 2010-01209-E.pdf (105 kB) Address by BUSINESSEUROPE President Jürgen R. Thumann

April

Climate change: what place for CO2 footprint product labelling? (12 April 2010) - 2010-01001-E.pdf (97 kB) A BUSINESSEUROPE position paper

March

EU climate policy after Copenhagen (24 March 2010) - 2010-00839-E.pdf (95 kB) Discussion note for the meeting of Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Climate action, with BUSINESSEUROPE President and Director General

Proposal for rules of auctioning allowances under the revised EU emission trading scheme (1 March 2010) - 2010-00643-E.pdf (31 kB) Letter to José Manuel Barroso

February

BUSINESSEUROPE meets Spanish State Secretary for Climate (11 February 2010) - 2010-00404-E.pdf (57 kB) /

Priorities for the Spanish Presidency (2 February 2010) - 2010-00267-E.pdf (118 kB) Letter handed over to José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero

January

Next steps following the Copenhagen climate change accord (21 January 2010) - 2010-00177-E.pdf (54 kB) Open letter from to Herman Van Rompuy, José Manuel Barroso and Jerzy Buzek

Delivering the 21% reduction target (15 January 2010) - 2010-00082-E.pdf (125 kB) Position paper on the Community-wide benchmarks and implementing rules for allocation of allowances under the revised EU Emission Trading Scheme

2009

December

Press Release (19 December 2009) - 2009-02723-E.pdf (55 kB) BUSINESSEUROPE disappointed by the limited outcome of the Copenhagen Conference

BUSINESSEUROPE message to the European Council on 10-11 December 2009 (8 December 2009) - 2009-02660-E.pdf (199 kB) /

November

Cost-efficient instruments for a low-carbon economy: the role of taxation (30 November 2009) - 2009-02635-E.pdf (788 kB) Presentation by Chris Lenon

Industrial Emissions Directive (10 November 2009) - 2009-02444-E.pdf (245 kB) Securing a workable second reading agreement

BUSINESSEUROPE contribution to the Revision of the Energy Tax Directive (5 November 2009) - 2009-02443-E.pdf (126 kB) /

Benchmarks under the EU Emission Trading Scheme (3 November 2009) - 2009-02364-E.pdf (50 kB) Letter from Philippe de Buck to Günter Verheugen

October

Copenhagen scorecard (28 October 2009) - 2009-02309-E.pdf (1.35 MB) What European business wants to see in an international agreement on climate change

BUSINESSEUROPE priorities (13 October 2009) - 2010-00363-E.pdf (203 kB) Auctioning rules under the revised EU emission trading scheme

Key messages for the meeting of the EP ENVI Committee in 6 October 2009 (5 October 2009) - 2009-02097-E.pdf (135 kB) BUSINESSEUROPE urges policy-makers to ensure certainty for industry for the whole third ETS trading period (2013-2020)

September

Joint resolution of BUSINESSEUROPE, IIPPF and the Global Intellectual Property Center (28 September 2009) - 2009-02125-E.pdf (586 kB) on climate change, technology and intellectual property rights

Declaration of the major economies business forum on energy and climate (22 September 2009) - 2009-01935-E.pdf (498 kB) /

Emission trading scheme: sectors deemed to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage (15 September 2009) - 2009-01892-E.pdf (127 kB) Letter from the Alliance for a Competitive European Industry to COREPER ahead of the Climate Change Committee meeting on 18 September

BUSINESSEUROPE position (14 September 2009) - 2009-01934-E.pdf (133 kB) on technology deployment for combating climate change in view of the international negotiations for a post-2012 climate change agreement

Transatlantic relations from the perspective of energy and climate policy (11 September 2009) - 2009-01877-E.pdf (99 kB) Speech by President Thumann at the 18th Franco-German meeting, Evian

August

BUSINESSEUROPE supports robust criteria for EC and Member States assessment of carbon leakage risk under Directive 2009/29/EC (ETS) (5 August 2009) /

April

Implementation of the revised Emission Trading Scheme directive (27 April 2009) - 2009-01042-E.pdf (135 kB) BUSINESSEUROPE views on carbon leakage, compensation and allocation rules

Conditions for a successful international climate change agreement (6 April 2009) - 2009-00893-E.pdf (436 kB) Letter from Philippe de Buck to Commissioner Stavros Dimas

March

Implementation of the revised Emission Trading Scheme directive (25 March 2009) - 2009-00796-E.pdf (524 kB) Letter from Philippe de Buck to Commissioner Dimas

February

Expectations for the international climate conference (COP15) (18 February 2009) - 2009-00406-E.pdf (157 kB) Joint statement by the Climate Change Rountable of business representatives meeting in Copenhagen

January

Quelle transition vers une société vraiment économe en carbone? (28 January 2009) - 2009-00213-E.pdf (249 kB) - French only Notes pour l'intervention de Philippe de Buck au débat de la Fondation Madariaga-Collège d'Europe avec Paul Magnette

Older

Adoption of EU climate package: an improved legal framework but companies will struggle with higher costs (17 December 2008) - 2008-02517-E.pdf (24 kB) press release

Statement on the revision of the EU emission trading scheme (ETS) (5 November 2008) - 2008-02119-E.pdf (81 kB) /

BUSINESSEUROPE position on the issue of carbon leakage (27 June 2008) - 2008-01217-E.pdf (50 kB) /

Views on the inclusion of aviation in the EU emission trading scheme (20 November 2007) - 2007-01765-E.pdf (1.6 MB) /

Joint implementation and clean development mechanism (18 May 2007) - 2007-00872-EN.pdf (186 kB) a BUSINESSEUROPE position paper

For previous public papers, search here.

Between economic and climate crisis – Can Copenhagen show a way out? 28 October 2009 – 2009-02309-E.pdf (1.35 MB) BUSINESSEUROPE organised a major conference to discuss best ways to reconcile climate protection and economic growth, ahead of the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December. The conference, which attracted 450 participants, was also an opportunity for BUSINESSEUROPE to present its "Copenhagen scorecard" – what European business wants to see in an international agreement on climate change. A report on this conference is available here.

BUSINESSEUROPE in Copenhagen 11-18 December 2009 For events BUSINESSEUROPE and it members organised around the COP15 Climate Change Conference in December 2009 in Copenhagen, click here.