European energy companies urge EU policymakers to take action for a robust carbon price signal on the European carbon market

Today, Chairmen and CEOs from six major European energy companies – Centrica,

CEZ, ENGIE, Fortum, Iberdrola, Innogy – representing the Magritte initiative,

gathered at the European Parliament in Strasbourg to call for a higher level of

ambition in the reform of the European carbon market (Emissions Trading Scheme,

“EU ETS”). They organised a public hearing with members of the European

Parliament.



The companies welcomed the ratification of the Paris agreement and its entering

into force before the COP22. This shows once again the leadership of the

European Union in the fight against climate change. The EU must now turn its

long term climate commitments (80-95% of greenhouse gas emission reductions

compared to 1990 by 2050) into concrete measures in order to align the EU ETS

with the objectives agreed in Paris.



The reform proposed by the European Commission, whilst welcome, will not be

sufficient to live up to Europe’s ambitious low-carbon agenda and to secure the

shift to low carbon technologies. A functioning EU ETS is critical to make the

energy transition possible in a cost effective way while providing the private

sector with clear and robust price signals to invest in low carbon and carbon

free technologies.



According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) investments of almost USD

2.5 trillion are required in the EU’s power sector over the period 2015-2040 to

reach its climate goals. The energy sector accounts for almost 60% of

greenhouse gas emissions covered by the EU ETS.



Policymakers must go beyond measures taken so far to strengthen ETS

(“backloading”/ Market Stability Reserve) and the current proposal under

discussion. The negotiations of its “4th phase” (2021-2030) provide a unique

opportunity to fix the European carbon market.



In this context, a combination of short and long term measures to fix the EU

ETS is needed, no single measure being able to do that alone. Therefore, new

initiatives must go beyond the current texts under discussion with the aim of:



-- Strengthening the structure of the carbon market and restoring the

investors’ confidence by providing visibility and predictability;

-- Fostering robust price signals on the market – a significant increase in

CO2 prices is necessary to unlock the full decarbonisation potential of the

power sector in the future.



Measures adopted at EU level should be preferred over uncoordinated national

initiatives that undermine the ETS and disrupt the level-playing field in the

European Union.



These proposals must go hand in hand with efficient carbon leakage provisions

to protect the competitiveness of European industries exposed to international

trade.



Fortum Corporation

Group Communications



Further information:

Merja Paavola, Vice President, Public Affairs, tel. +358 50 396 1161



Fortum

Fortum is a leading clean energy company which provides its customers with

electricity, heating and cooling as well as smart solutions to improve resource

efficiency. We want to engage our customers and society to join the change for

a cleaner world. We employ some 8,000 professionals in the Nordic and the

Baltic countries, Russia, Poland and India, and already 64% of our electricity

generation is CO2 free. In 2015, our sales were EUR 3.5 billion. (NASDAQ

HELSINKI: FUM1V). www.fortum.com



Magritte Group

Since its launch in May 2013, the Magritte Group has offered its assessment of

the energy and climate situation in Europe. The CEOs of the ten companies that

make up the group aim to contribute to the debate by offering constructive

proposals, in particular concrete solutions to revitalize Europe’s energy and

climate policy.

Chairmen and CEOs from major European energy companies representing the Magritte

initiative gathered at the European Parliament