The European Commission held a high-level roundtable on 12 May bringing together nearly 60 representatives from industry, aviation, maritime transport and civil society to feed into the upcoming review of the EU Emissions Trading System.
The meeting focused on policy priorities for revising the EU ETS and its Market Stability Reserve (MSR) for 2031 – 2040, the European Commission informed on Tuesdau.
The EU ETS is the bloc’s carbon market, requiring covered companies to buy permits for the greenhouse gases they emit, while the MSR is a mechanism designed to adjust the supply of permits.
The participants discussed how the carbon market could support investment while remaining predictable and rules-based.
The stakeholders also raised “carbon and investment leakage protection” — a reference to concerns about investment shifting to countries with less stringent climate rules — as an ongoing priority.
The roundtable followed a public consultation held in 2025 and took account of geopolitical events and guidance from EU leaders in March 2026, as well as an amendment setting a 2040 target under the European Climate Law.
Energy costs, infrastructure and finance raised as enabling conditions
Affordable energy and access to infrastructure were among the conditions cited by stakeholders as necessary alongside the ETS to support emissions cuts, the Commission statement said.
Other points raised included creating markets for low-carbon products, improving access to finance, increasing circular use of materials and carbon dioxide, protecting against unfair competition, and simplifying processes such as permitting.
The Commission said feedback from the meeting would be considered as it prepares proposals scheduled for 15 July. A recording of the roundtable has been published online by the Commission.
