Key facts
- EU economy ministers agreed to restrict circumstances for suspending the bloc's carbon emissions fee on imports.
- The policy aims to protect European industries from cheaper, more polluting foreign goods.
- The carbon border levy applies to emissions from imported steel, cement, and fertilizers.
- The decision was backed by a majority of ministers, though some countries abstained.
European Union economy ministers have agreed to restrict the conditions under which the bloc can suspend its carbon emissions fee on imports, a move intended to bolster certainty for low-carbon investments within the EU. This world-first policy imposes a fee on the emissions associated with imported goods such as steel, cement, and fertilizers, aiming to protect domestic industries from being undercut by less expensive, more polluting foreign products.