Ahead of the European Council on 19–20 March, the ECR Group calls on EU leaders to halt the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) and urgently address rising energy prices, as mounting costs continue to undermine Europe’s competitiveness and economy and place a growing burden on households.

ECR Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini said:

“Market volatility and growing political pressure underline the urgency of action.”

“In the current geopolitical situation, energy prices are undermining our industry and placing an increasing burden on households. If this is not addressed, leaders risk overlooking the issue that matters most to citizens and businesses alike.

“The ETS may have been designed as a market tool, but in practice it has become a structural cost burden — in effect, a tax. Europe cannot restore competitiveness while refusing to seriously revisit a system that is driving prices up.”

ECR Co-Chairman Patryk Jaki said:

“With key sectors under increasing strain, a failure to act risks pushing more European industry out of Europe and leaving people to pay the price.

“At a time when global energy prices are rising due to geopolitical tensions, it makes no sense for Europe to add further costs through its own policies. This is precisely the moment to halt the ETS and rethink our approach.

“There is no justification for maintaining an energy pricing system that leaves Europe with some of the highest energy costs in the world. If we are serious about competitiveness, the ETS must be fundamentally rethought.”