Previously, the focus of the debate had been on the risk of carbon leakage and the ability of the Emissions System to influence corporate operations and investment decisions. 

Carbon Control Post 2020 in Energy Intensive Industries answered the need for evidenced-based analysis to inform the hotly debated reforms of the EU ETS. It worked to assess: 

• How production and emission volumes, the energy and CO2 efficiency and competitiveness of companies in the Energy Intensive Industries have evolved prior and during the EU ETS
• How the EU ETS may have influenced investment and operational choices at the company level and what this implies for the different options for its structural reform.

The study commented on the proposals put forward by the European Commission and by the stakeholders during the consultation period regarding a structural reform of the EU ETS and the European 2030 and 2050 energy and climate objectives. 

In looking at corporate responses in different national and regional contexts, we highlighted the importance of supportive measures in some cases, and the harmful impacts of competing policies in others.

This project worked to:

• Provide objective, evidence-based research on the past and current effectiveness of the EU ETS for energy intensive industries.
• Assess different proposals for improvement of the EU ETS to foster energy efficiency and greenhouse gas mitigation while maintaining international competitiveness of energy intensive industries.
• Contribute to improving mutual understanding of the different stakeholder groups involved in the implementation of emissions trading systems, i.e. the energy intensive industries, governing bodies, relevant national authorities and E-NGOs.