Press Release: Emissions trading: EU-wide cap for 2008-2012 set at 2.08 billion allowances after assessment of national plans for Bulgaria

The European Commission has adopted the decisions on the proposed Bulgarian national plans for allocating carbon dioxide (CO2) emission allowances for 2007 and the 2008-2012 trading period of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Having become an EU member earlier in the year, Bulgaria is required to draw up a plan for 2007 - the last year of the first trading period - in addition to a plan for the second trading period. The cleared annual allocation for Bulgaria for 2008-2012 is 42.3 million tonnes of CO2 allowances, 37.4% less than proposed. The Emissions Trading Scheme ensures that greenhouse gas emissions from the energy and industry sectors covered are cut at least cost to the economy, thus helping the EU and its Member States to meet their emission commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

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