§ Sir Paul BeresfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she is expecting to make appropriate information available to enable the UK ceramics industry to decide whether to opt in or out of Phase I of the European Emissions Trading Scheme. [177451]
§ Mr. Morley [holding answer 7 June 2004]The EU Emissions Trading Scheme provides for member states to apply for temporary exclusion from the first phase of the scheme for installations covered by national measures, provided that they satisfy the equivalence criteria set out in the Directive.
The ceramics industry is currently covered by a Climate Change Agreement and therefore operators within this sector may potentially apply for temporary exclusion. We have approached the European Commission to ask for their views on an application for temporary exclusion for Climate Change Agreement holders. We are continuing to work with the ceramics industry and others, to settle outstanding issues regarding the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.