EU's Dimas Says to Approve Italy CO2 Plan Shortly
Date: 16-Feb-06
Country: BELGIUM
Dimas said the European Commission was scrutinising a breakdown provided by the Italian government of how the CO2 allocations, or rights to pollute, would be distributed.
"This scrutiny will finish in a few days and we shall approve of this breakdown," he said, adding that an Italian registry that tracks CO2 trades would also be able to go online.
The EU's emissions trading scheme, its key instrument to meet environmental commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, sets limits on how much CO2 can be emitted by high-polluting factories such as power stations and oil refineries.
Companies buy or sell rights to pollute, based on limits set by national governments and approved by the Commission, the EU's executive arm.
Italy said earlier this month that its plan, which applies for the 2005-2007 period, had been approved.
