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Concerns about the potential negative effects on domestic firms' international competitiveness and ensuing carbon leakage are the main obstacle to the unilateral use of carbon pricing for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2005, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has put a price on about half of the EU's overall emissions and presently remains the largest cap-and-trade scheme in the world. Monitoring the competitiveness effects of the EU ETS is vital for evaluating the cost effectiveness of the policy instrument and for amending it if needed. This paper surveys the econometric literature that tests for the occurrence of competitiveness effects and carbon leakage under the EU ETS. Emphasised is the specific or more general relevance of estimation results for sectors, countries and years. Organised in this way, the empirical evidence may better inform policy. The review also covers several studies analysing the competitiveness effects of the EU ETS through the lens of stock markets. By far, the most frequently encountered conclusion is that no evidence was found of negative statistically significant effects on firms' competitiveness (nor, therefore, of carbon leakage). Among the few adverse effects, those concerning increased FDI activity in certain regulated sectors deserve special consideration.

Abstract We analyse the international dimension of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) over the past two decades and in the foreseeable future by reviewing facts and economic theory. The facts mainly concern the international climate change regime and the EU's relevant experience in international cooperation. Club theory shows how incentives can be created for cooperation on climate mitigation. The linkage of the EU ETS to the Kyoto flexible mechanisms had mixed results: it promoted emissions trading abroad, but the inflow of credits into the EU ETS added to a large market surplus and the environmental integrity of certain credits was problematic. Looking ahead, the ability of the EU ETS to reduce foreign emissions may grow. Key will be whether competitiveness and distributional effects are successfully addressed. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism might help the EU reduce the risk of carbon leakage while incentivising emission reductions in countries exporting to the EU. The EU's focus on reducing domestic emissions only, suggests we will probably not see new international linkages this decade. However, it cannot be excluded that the EU will revisit its decision and relax the domestic constraint.

Renewable energy communities (RES communities) are a growing and extraordinarily multifaceted phenomenon which involves a range of possible activities around renewable energy (notably, production, supply, distribution, sharing and consumption) collectively carried out by citizens, often in partnership with small and medium enterprises and local public authorities. The Clean Energy Package (CEP) is expected to represent a turning point for the development and diffusion of RES communities in Europe, as for the first time both their very existence and their potential role in the energy transition receive legal recognition at the EU level. By 2021, all Member States will have to transpose the CEP's Directives into national legislation, thus including the definition of an enabling framework that promotes RES communities. However, substantial room for manoeuvre is left to Member States in accomplishing the task. The present report analyses the phenomenon of RES communities in Europe and identifies plausible (qualitative) scenarios for their possible development over the next decade, at this very special time. It does so by carefully reviewing the socioeconomic literature on RES communities (Chapter 1), by carrying out three case studies of different types of RES communities (Chapter 2), and by analysing how the CEP provisions may be implemented by Member States and so affect the uptake of RES communities (Chapter 3).

AbstractThis paper analyses the role that companion policies have had in the reduction of emissions regulated by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the related policy interactions, with a view to identifying relevant insights for China's forthcoming Emissions Trading System (ETS). The investigation rests on: (a) the observation of the EU's and China's ETSs and policy mixes; (b) economic theory concerning companion policies and ETS design; and (c) empirical ex-post evidence from the EU ETS. Three main conclusions emerge from the analysis. First, China's ETS, while not imposing a fixed cap on emissions, will not be immune to waterbed effects of companion policies. Second, the European experience stresses the importance of making explicit the objectives pursued by companion policies, and of balancing policies for innovation and policies for adoption of low-carbon technologies. Third, in the presence of a major market surplus, only permanent adjustments to allowance supply can be effective in raising prices.

This paper analyses the role that companion policies have had in the reduction of emissions regulated by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the related policy interactions, with a view to identifying relevant insights for China's forthcoming Emissions Trading System (ETS). The investigation rests on: (a) the observation of the EU's and China's ETSs and policy mixes; (b) economic theory concerning companion policies and ETS design; and (c) empirical ex-post evidence from the EU ETS. Three main conclusions emerge from the analysis. First, China's ETS, while not imposing a fixed cap on emissions, will not be immune to waterbed effects of companion policies. Second, the European experience stresses the importance of making explicit the objectives pursued by companion policies, and of balancing policies for innovation and policies for adoption of low-carbon technologies. Third, in the presence of a major market surplus, only permanent adjustments to allowance supply can be effective in raising prices. ; The work leading to this study was co-financed by the EU LIFE Programme of the European Commission – Grant Agreement LIFE15 GIC/IT/000051 LIFE SIDE. This paper reflects only the authors' view and the Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

This report was prepared to inform the Carbon Market Policy Dialogue (CMPD) between the European Commission, as the regulator of the EU Emissions Trading System, and the regulatory authorities for the emissions trading systems (ETSs) of California, Québec, China, New Zealand, and Switzerland. In this report, we propose a conceptual framework to characterise price control mechanisms (PCMs), i.e. the design features of emission trading systems (ETSs) meant to tackle price uncertainty. We present the PCM features of the six ETSs involved in the CMPD according to the conceptual framework and illustrate some insight from the scientific literature on linking ETSs with different PCMs. Finally, we discuss the main issues emerging from this report and provide out concluding remarks. ; The present report is a deliverable of the LIFE DICET project, which is co-financed by the EU LIFE Programme of the European Commission (LIFE18 GIC/IT/001129).

This report was prepared to inform the Carbon Market Policy Dialogue (CMPD) between the European Commission, as the regulator of the EU Emissions Trading System, and the regulatory authorities for the emissions trading systems (ETSs) of California, Québec, China, New Zealand, and Switzerland. The report deals with the implications of linking emissions trading systems (ETSs) that differ from each other in the level of environmental ambition. The report provides a conceptual framework and summarizes the relevant scientific literature; it describes the current status of the six ETSs represented in the CMPD and, finally, it offers up a few ideas for discussion. ; The present report is a deliverable of the LIFE DICET project, which is co-financed by the EU LIFE Programme of the European Commission (LIFE18 GIC/IT/001129).

This report was prepared to inform the Carbon Market Policy Dialogue (CMPD) between the European Commission, as the regulator of the EU Emissions Trading System, and the regulatory authorities for the emissions trading systems (ETSs) of California, Quebec, China, New Zealand and Switzerland. The report deals with the implications of linking ETSs that differ from each other in the provisions on emission offsetting. The report provides a conceptual framework and summarizes the relevant scientific literature; it describes the current status of the six ETSs represented in the CMPD and, finally, it offers up a few ideas for discussion.

This report was prepared to inform the Carbon Market Policy Dialogue (CMPD) between the European Commission, as the regulator of the EU Emissions Trading System, and the regulatory authorities for the emissions trading systems (ETSs) of California, Quebec, China, New Zealand and Switzerland. The report deals with the implications of linking ETSs that differ from each other in the measures for carbon leakage prevention. The report provides a conceptual framework and summarizes the relevant scientific literature; it describes the current status of the six ETSs represented in the CMPD and, finally, it offers up a few ideas for discussion.