REALITY CHECK – Commission takes stock of ETS implementation with stationary installations

The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is the EU’s flagship carbon pricing instrument and a central pillar of its climate policy framework. As the ETS expands and is strengthened, stakeholders have shared feedback on practical implementation to ensure its continued effectiveness. This includes experiences with compliance processes, the interaction between different ETS components, such as monitoring, reporting, verification of emissions or of activity levels and the application for free allocation.

To ensure that our legislation remains fit for purpose and easy to apply, the Commission organised a reality check on the ETS, focusing on the experience of so-called stationary installations (industry and power plants), which took place on 29 January 2026. 

The reality check took the form of a targeted workshop with over 50 representatives from stationary installations across the EU, from sectors such as chemicals, refineries, cement, pulp and paper, glass and others. 

The workshop provided an opportunity to take stock with ETS operators, exchange on practical implementation, and identify areas where guidance, templates or implementation practices could be streamlined or further harmonised.

The findings of this reality check will feed into the evaluation of the EU ETS and the upcoming revision of the ETS Directive, complementing the public consultations already organised. 

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