Ursula von der Leyen defended the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), rejecting industry calls to weaken or eliminate the carbon market, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions through a pricing mechanism. At an event in Antwerp, leaders from Germany and France raised concerns about the impact of high carbon prices on industry competitiveness, while CEOs demanded deregulation to lower costs. Von der Leyen countered that the ETS has successfully reduced emissions while fostering economic growth and argued that only reducing fossil fuel use could lower energy prices. Despite growing pressure, she emphasized the need for continued reform of the system, focusing on better redistribution of carbon pricing revenues to support industrial decarbonization.
Date: February 11, 2026. Source: politico.eu