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Mooted EU carbon levy on imports gains momentum, sparks concerns over mounting protectionism
28 Aug 2020 12:00 am
Duration: 18:11
A radical plan by the European Union to impose a levy on carbon-intensive imports is increasingly popular among national leaders, although it remains unclear what shape it’s likely to take — a tariff, a tax or an extension of the bloc’s internal Emissions Trading System. Many EU leaders are now of the view that some form of tariff is required to avoid “carbon leaking” — that’s the risk that business will move production to other jurisdictions to sidestep European environmental standards. Yet any EU move to impose a tariff will play out against a backdrop of growing protectionism around the globe, with political uncertainty in the United States contributing to an increasingly difficult trade environment.
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31 Jul 2020 8:46 am by Giulia BediniA planned EU levy on carbon-intensive imports is likely to be proposed next year.
Editorial Team
James Panichi Senior Editor, Asia Pacific

James, an Australian journalist with over 25 years’ experience in print and electronic media, is spearheading MLex’s coverage of regulatory risk in Australia and New Zealand. In 2016, James was appointed as MLex’s managing editor for continental Europe, overseeing the Brussels bureau’s coverage of EU regulatory affairs and managing a team of 16 journalists in Brussels and Geneva. Previously James worked for the European Voice newspaper, before joining the European operation of US political website... Read more
Giulia Bedini Correspondent

Giulia is a correspondent for MLex in Brussels. She started reporting on EU energy and climate policies as a fellow of the Lénaïc Fund for Quality Journalism with MLex in Brussels. Giulia has a degree in International Relations from the University of Bologna, and a degree in European Languages and Cultures focused on English and German from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.Follow Giulia on Twitter.
Kat Lucero Correspondent

Kat is a US trade reporter for MLex. She previously covered tax policy, the Internal Revenue Service and Congress for Tax Analysts, Bloomberg BNA and The Hill. Kat was also a community news writer, covering real estate, economic development, art, food and restaurants in Washington, DC, as well as a reporting fellow for the Sunlight Foundation.