Romania challenges EC decision to cut carbon emmissions

Vineri, 4 ianuarie 2008, 18:52 English | Top News

Romania has urged the Court of Justice of the European Communities to annul an European Commission decision to demand a Romanian cut of carbon emissions by 20%. The Romanian government made the decision to move against the EC call at its last session last year, arguing that the Commission exceeded its attributions through a discriminatory measure. It is the first such act by the government in Bucharest since Romania joined the EU a year ago.

The EC decision to demand a 20% cut of Romanian carbon emissions is thus challenged by the Bucharest government according to which the Commission was not entitled to establish thresholds, but only to reject partially or totally the national-level plan to cut such emissions.

The challenge was submitted on December 21 and also quotes the lack of transparency in the model used to establish new emission quotas.

According to Adrian Ciocanea, head of the European Affairs Department in Bucharest, the government now waits an official position from the European court, until which the EC decision remains valid.

In October last year, the European Commission has decided to call for a Romanian cut by 20.7% of yearly carbon emission quotas for the period of 2008-2012 and lowered the threshold for 2007 by 10%.

The decision was criticized by Economy minister Varujan Vosganian, Environment minister Attila Korodi and business groups, who argued that Romanian thermal energy plants would lose over two billion euro. Both ministers announced at the time they would call for a review of the EC decision.