EU ministers wary of carbon tariffs
Posted by ecoshift on February 12, 2008
FT.com / Europe / Brussels – EU ministers wary of carbon tariffs
By Tony Barber in Brussels
Published: February 12 2008 17:54
European Union finance ministers on Tuesday stopped short of threatening carbon tariffs to defend domestic companies supposedly vulnerable to rivals in countries with lower environmental standards.
After a discussion of the financial and economic impact of the EU’s climate change policies, ministers said they would consider “any necessary measures” to assist European industry, but did not specifically mention special import taxes or quotas.
Diplomats said the vague language reflected a compromise between a French-led camp of EU countries that have identified potential risks to European industry, and the UK and others that are wary of a lurch into protectionism.
