Complying with the forthcoming tightening of CO2 emission allocations in the EU may mean big bills for the industries affected. In this special issue of Climate Policy journal, leading experts examine the impacts on competitiveness and the commercial incentives available from the CO2 allowance allocations under the methodologies, and whether - and if so at what stage - the ETS itself may need to be amended. The study is multidisciplinary, combining economic, legal and policy analysis with specific studies of impacts on electricity, cement and other industrial sectors and the allocation issues. It brings together the results of research conducted over the past two year from various research centres and consultancies in Europe, and in particular, work commissioned by the Carbon Trust and Climate Strategies Network. Through these, it presents the most comprehensive and detailed set of analyses yet conducted of the impacts of allocation on competitiveness - one of the most critical issues for the sectors affected and for the operation of the ETS.

First Published in 2006. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The first detailed description and analysis of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.

Brookings Trade Forum provides comprehensive analysis on current and emerging issues of international trade and macroeconomics. Practitioners and academics contribute to each volume, with papers that provide an in-depth look at a particular topic. The 2008/2009 edition focuses on climate policy and its impact on trade. Contents include • Five "Gs": Lessons for Governing Global Climate from World Trade William Antholis (Brookings) • International Trade Law and the Economics of Climate Policy: Evaluating the Legality and Effectiveness of Proposals to Address Competitiveness and Leakage Concerns Jason E. Bordoff (Brookings) • Technology Transfers and Climate Change: International Flows, Barriers, and Frameworks Thomas L. Brewer (Georgetown University) •Addressing the Leakage / Competitiveness Issue in Climate Change Policy Proposals Jeffrey A. Frankel (Harvard University) • The Economic and Environmental Effects of Border Tax Adjustments for Climate Policy Warwick J. Mckibbin and Peter J.Wilcoxen (Brookings) • The Climate Commons and a Global Environment Organization (GEO) C. Ford Runge (University of Minnesota)

This book presents a selection of papers from an international workshop co-sponsored by the OECD and Concerted Action on Tradeable Emissions Permits (CATEP), to discuss key research and policy issues relating to the design and implementation of these instruments.

This literature review analyses the impacts of the EU ETS on competitiveness focussing on existing simulation studies. We have identified the choice of the reference scenario as the most critical issue for an appropriate analysis of the relevant literature. We find, however, that effects of the scheme on competitiveness are modest, even given the business as usual case that does not take the legally binding framework of the Kyoto Protocol into account. Furthermore, the impacts of the EU ETS are smaller than the impacts of alternative Kyoto-based regulation scenarios. Compared to these other regulation methods ETSs can have positive competitiveness effects. However, the EU ETS is not designed to boost Europe's economy. Its prime purpose and justification is to ensure that Europe's CO2 emissions are brought down and Kyoto targets are reached at minimal costs. To our opinion, it is therefore important that the system as well as modifications to it do not undermine the environmental goals associated with this policy instrument.