“The ETS system is economic suicide for Europe! It must be suspended and urgently reformed!” declared Mateusz Morawiecki, PiS MP and head of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR). The politician has sent an urgent letter on the matter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Harmful ETS System. Actions by the President and PiS
President Karol Nawrocki today presented Prime Minister Donald Tusk with a position paper ahead of the upcoming European Council meeting, containing concrete proposals for changes to the ETS.
The ongoing revision process of the EU ETS system—expected to conclude later this year with proposed amendments to the ETS directive—is of fundamental importance to the future of the European economy. After twenty years of operation, it must be honestly acknowledged that its impact on the competitiveness of European industry has been dramatically negative, the head of state stated in the document.
Meanwhile, the PiS parliamentary club recently submitted a draft resolution calling on Prime Minister Tusk to take all necessary steps for Poland to exit the ETS.
Morawiecki: ETS Is Economic Suicide for Europe!
Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also published a statement online, emphasizing that “the ETS system is economic suicide for Europe.” He added that “it is time to suspend it and urgently reform it,” recalling that he had “repeatedly advocated this” during his time as head of government.
“Today, as chairman of the ECR, I have sent an urgent letter on this matter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen,” he announced.
The PiS MP also outlined the key points of the letter addressed to von der Leyen:
Europe is pushing industry beyond its borders, losing jobs, competitiveness, innovation, investment, and security. European industry is in a deep structural crisis. Companies in the EU pay for energy even 2–3 times more than their competitors in the United States and Asia. This is not a coincidence—it is the result of policies that, instead of protecting the climate, undermine competitiveness. The facts are stark: the EU’s share in the global chemical market has fallen from 28% to 14%; steel production in the EU has dropped by over 30%; China has increased its share to more than 50% of global production.
Morawiecki argued that “in a world of growing geopolitical tensions—war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, and rising tensions in East Asia—weakening our own economy is a strategic mistake that could cost Europe dearly.”
“Therefore, as chairman of the ECR, I call on EU officials and all leaders of EU member states to take urgent action,” he appealed.
According to him, Brussels should take the following steps:
- – suspend the ETS system and carry out a comprehensive reform;
- – introduce a maximum emissions price of €20 per tonne of CO₂;
- – eliminate speculation and restrict the market to real emitters only;
- – maintain free allowances for industry beyond 2034;
- – link emission costs to investments in clean technologies;
- – abolish the MSR mechanism, which artificially drives up prices.
“Europe cannot become a museum of industry and a relic of innovation. If we do not stop this policy now, deindustrialization will become irreversible. It is time to stop deceiving ourselves and abandon ideological fanaticism. It is time to act! There are mistakes that can still be reversed—but we must act immediately!” Morawiecki concluded.