ABSTRACT

As part of the European Green Deal, the EU is considering the introduction of a Border Carbon Adjustment (BCA) on imports as an alternative to free allocation of emission allowances to reduce the risk of carbon leakage under the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). While a BCA for exports is not categorically excluded, it is less likely to be consistent with World Trade Organisation rules and therefore less likely to be proposed than an import-only BCA. In this paper, we show that replacing free allocation by an import-only BCA would weaken the competitiveness of EU producers in foreign markets. Free allocation also helps support the cost competitiveness of domestic products that are exported to non-EU markets. Therefore, a move to import-only BCAs does not necessarily make redundant the continued use of free allocation to help safeguard overall industrial competitiveness. While combining an import BCA with free allocation for exports can increase the risk of legal challenges, such risks may be reduced with an appropriate design. More broadly, policymakers need to navigate a complex trade-off between competitiveness support, a stronger carbon price signal, and extra fiscal revenue.

Key policy insights

• A BCA on imports levels the playing field in domestic EU markets but does not provide competitiveness support to exports

• Therefore, a move to an import-only BCAs does not obviate the need for free allocation to safeguard overall industrial competitiveness

• While combining an import-only BCA with free allocation for exports increases the risk of legal challenges, such risks may be reduced with an appropriate design

抽象的

作为《欧洲绿色协议》的一部分，欧盟正在考虑对进口实行边境碳调整（BCA），以替代排放配额的免费分配，以降低欧盟排放交易体系（EU ETS）下的碳泄漏风险。 。虽然没有明确排除出口BCA，但与仅进口BCA相比，它不太可能与世界贸易组织的规则保持一致，因此不太可能提出。在本文中，我们表明用仅进口的BCA代替免费分配会削弱欧盟生产商在国外市场上的竞争力。免费分配还有助于提高出口到非欧盟市场的国内产品的成本竞争力。所以，转向仅进口的BCA并不一定会使继续使用自由分配来维护整体工业竞争力成为多余。虽然将进口BCA与免费分配出口相结合可以增加法律挑战的风险，但是通过适当的设计可以降低此类风险。更广泛地说，政策制定者需要在竞争力支持，更强劲的碳价格信号和额外的财政收入之间进行复杂的权衡。

重要政策见解

• 关于进口的BCA可以为欧盟国内市场提供公平的竞争环境，但不能为出口提供竞争力支持

• 因此，转向仅进口的BCA并不会消除为维护整体工业竞争力而进行自由分配的需要。

• 虽然将仅进口的BCA与免费分配出口相结合会增加法律挑战的风险，但通过适当的设计可以降低此类风险