EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)

What Is The EU ETS?

The EU ETS has three operational phases:
Phase I (1st January 2005 to 31st December 2007) was an initial learning by doing phase and is now complete. This phase didn’t cover aviation activities.

Phase II (1st January 2008 to 21st December 2012) included revised monitoring and reporting rules, more stringent emissions caps and additional combustion sources. Aviation activities were covered from 2010.

Phase III of the EU ETS runs from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2020. It brings harmonised EU allocation methodologies and covers additional greenhouse gases and emission sources. Phase III for installations also allows eligible small emitters and hospitals to choose to be excluded from certain EU ETS obligations.

EU ETS Phase III

The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading System Regulations 2012 require all installations that carry out regulated activities to hold a greenhouse gas emissions permit or an excluded installation emissions permit. Regulated activities are any of the activities listed in Annex I to the EU ETS Directive – To download a full copy of the EU ETS legislation, click here.

The conditions of these permits require installations to monitor and report emissions from 2013 onward in accordance with the Monitoring and Reporting Regulation. The European Commission has published Phase III guidance to help you with monitoring and reporting, verification and changes to capacity and activity levels.

In addition to this, by the end of 2013 all EU ETS verifiers are required to apply for accreditation to ISO 14065. Carbon Action delivers the necessary ISO 14064-3 training for verifiers to meet the requirements to become accredited. Click here for more information on the training course.

Carbon Action can assist organisations with completing their GHG Permitting applications for submission to the environmental protection agencies. Contact us for more information on +44 207 397 8500 or email [email protected]