AK supports the goal of EU-wide decarbonisation by 2050. However, this process must be designed to be fair and in the interest of workers (“just transition”). Thus, AK welcomes the establishment of a Social Climate Fund. There is, however, no support for the proposal for heating fuels and motor fuels for households to be included in an EU-wide cap-and-trade system in the form of a separate emissions trading scheme. This is due to the risk of unpredictable price peaks, which can affect low-income households in particular.

The strong industrial basis in the EU needs efficient and effective protection against the relocation of enterprises due to high CO2 prices. The Commission’s proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is a step in the right direction. AK considers the separation of the pricing of CO2 emissions and the pricing of the energy content of energy sources within the framework of the Energy Taxation Directive to be expedient.