EU: "Member States must invest ETS revenues in industrial decarbonisation" (U. von der Leyen)

"At European level, 100% of the revenue from the ETS (European Emissions Trading Scheme) has been reinvested in innovation", declared Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, during her opening speech at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp (Belgium) on 11/02/2026.

However, "Member States invest less than 5% of the revenue from the ETS in industrial decarbonisation. It is high time they stepped up their efforts to match the level of our support", she added.

Recalling that the ETS has generated €260Bn since 2005, the President added that "one of the main objectives of the forthcoming ETS reform is to direct more resources from this system towards European industries. Since these resources come from industry, they should be reinvested in industry".

Addressing European industry leaders, Ursula von der Leyen stated that "one of the essential elements of the Commission's programme is the Clean Industry Pact, the joint plan for decarbonisation and competitiveness".

She recalled the existence of the Bank for the Decarbonisation of Industry, "endowed with €100Bn", and…