The resumption of the debate in the EU on the introduction of border carbon tax has forced the Russian authorities to think about the assessment of the impact of this policy on exports — the economy Ministry has requested the business impact analysis process of the production of goods on the environment. In addition, the office submitted to the White house a new version of the law on carbon regulation — experts criticize it for lack of ambition, the Union is ready to agree with its provisions.In the letter (there is a “b”) the head of RSPP Alexander Shokhin “On border carbon corrective mechanism in the EU,” the Deputy head of the Ministry Vladimir Ilichev reported that the European Commission is considering options to launch a “border carbon corrective mechanism”. A range of options from a CO2 tax in respect of certain goods and additional customs duties to involvement of importers in the ETS on CO2 emissions in the EU (ETC). Given this, the Ministry of economy offers RSPP to hold a consolidated industry or corporate analysis “of the impact of commodity production on the environment at all stages of the production chain in part for the energy – and carbon intensity levels” to “create arguments to defend the Russian position” on the negotiations with the EU. As explained “Kommersant” in the Ministry of economy, scenarios, low-carbon development need to be considered in the development strategies of industry and agriculture — in order to increase the competitiveness of Russian goods and services and open new market niches.The theme of the potential risks of introducing border carbon mechanisms in the EU were discussed at the end of April at a meeting with Vice-Premier of Victoria Abramchenko (Protocol of the meeting is at “b”). Agencies (including the Ministry of economy, Ministry of foreign Affairs, the Ministry of industry and trade and the Ministry of energy) to 1 October 2020 was requested to submit proposals to the government “to minimize the risk of Russian producers of carbon intensive goods”.”With high probability the mechanism will be implemented through extensions ETC for importers of goods of certain industries,— considers the head of the Department of world economy higher school of Economics Igor Makarov.— This measure, in contrast to duty or import tax, is not contrary to WTO rules”.In RSPP the intention of the officials to respond to possible innovations in the EU generally welcome, but note that the request is “in the absence of clear methodologies for calculating emissions and removals, as well as a list of organizations that will have the right to carry out verification of the emission looks weird.” “The regulatory framework have not yet, the project business is not yet able to implement the system vision is also not”— complained the business Association.Note that earlier, the economy Ministry has sent the government a new version of the bill on carbon regulation (eSt have a “b”). His priorities are support of the planning mechanism (subsidized implementation of low-carbon technologies) and the introduction of greenhouse gas emissions monitoring and verification of carbon reporting for companies. More ambitious measures, including targets and economic methods of regulation (the fee for exceeding the threshold, the cap-and-trade emission or introduction of a carbon tax), are only a framework.”And a bill to regulate emissions and low-carbon development strategy of the Russian Federation (see “Kommersant” on March 23) was prepared more than three years, but obviously time has been wasted, and at the moment they are purely declarative in nature and require radical revision,”— said Oleg Pluzhnikov, head of the climate in the direction of “Business Russia”. According to him, the mechanisms for the implementation of the provisions of the bill are not defined. The Union, meanwhile, a new version of the bill called the “clear” and only fear is that it “allows you to invest the government with authority to make decisions without proper discussion.”According to Igor Makarova, the most effective reaction of Russia to the threat of border carbon mechanism would be the creation of its own scheme of regulation of emissions and its Association with the European. “To reduce emissions in our country are much cheaper than in Europe, and the establishment of a joint system could attract a money European companies to reject this proposal and to introduce a mechanism against Russian goods the Europeans would be extremely difficult,”— said the expert.Angelina Davydova
