News

UK ruling allows small emitters and hospitals to opt out of EU-ETS

Posted at December 8, 2012 » By : » Categories : News » Comments Off on UK ruling allows small emitters and hospitals to opt out of EU-ETS

The UK government has fulfilled the promise made earlier this year to allow small emitters and hospitals to opt out of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).

The new regulations simplify the legal requirements for UK organisations covered by the EU ETS, replacing 13 previous sets of regulations with one single instrument.

Under the new regime, which will start in 2013, hospitals and small emitters will be able to leave the EU ETS in preference for a “lighter touch” alternative, which will reduce the “disproportionately high” administration costs that had faced such organisations, says the government.

“By simplifying the regulations… we will save companies money and time, while still allowing them to meet environmental goals,” says Minister for Climate Change, Greg Barker. “This will mean that smaller businesses, who experience higher costs from complying with the current regulations, that chose to will also be opted out of the system from 2013.”

Enforcement of the scheme in the UK will now only comprise civil rather than criminal sanctions.

The new regulations will come into force on January 1, 2013 as Phase III of the EU ETS begins and will run until 2020.

The changes are part of the government’s ‘Red Tape’ challenge to reduce the regulatory burden and administrative costs on UK businesses.

For further information:
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/emissions/eu_ets/eu_ets.aspx

Related stories:
Cutting environmental red tape stalling green economy, UK warned (21-May)
UK promises to cut red tape on EU ETS (8-May)
‘Greenest ever’ government cuts environmental red tape (20-Mar)

Article source: http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/5612/

About admin

Comments are closed.