The Member States of the European Union endorse their roadmap on the carbon border mechanism project. The famous “carbon tax” is finally in sight and it should make it possible not to import into Europe products that do not comply with European manufacturing standards or in any case to offset their carbon footprint.
With our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet
A compromise text was approved by a large majority, even if certain modalities still divide the 27. After the decision in principle of the 27 finance ministers, some adjustments will still have to be made and they will not be minor.
The carbon tax will thus gradually begin to be levied between 2023 and 2025. According to the agreement in principle on Tuesday, these will be the imports of “products with higher carbon intensity » that will be targeted, that is to say those that require the most energy and polluting materials for their manufacture. On the European list are cement, aluminium, fertilizers, steel and electricity production. All imports with a value greater than 150 Euros will be taxed.
This ” carbon border adjustment mechanism – this is its baptismal name – will operate in parallel with the current CO2 emissions quota trading system, which is an internal mechanism of the European Union. And it is on this point that political arbitrations must still be found.
Some countries are currently calling for quotas to be maintained. In order to be certain and that the new carbon tax at the borders will effectively make it possible to make imported products pay the true cost of their CO2 production so that European producers do not find themselves penalized.
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