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2023-09-04 | All chapters

Carbon Neutrality Action (CNA) Initiative

Climate change and biodiversity are the most pressing challenges of our time and are areas that are ripe for deepening EU-China cooperation, at both the industry and institutional levels.

The European Chamber has long been advocating for EU-China cooperation on decarbonisation and launched the CNA Initiative in May 2022 to facilitate coordinated efforts among the Chamber’s membership.

We are working with our members, through the Chamber’s working groups, advocacy and event programming, to identify the areas in which we can cooperate with China to achieve its 2060 carbon neutrality goals.

This initiative is being widely marketed through all Chamber platforms and is advertised in each of the Chamber’s nine offices across China.

The Chamber is also committed to reducing its own carbon footprint. We practice sorting and recycling of paper and other waste, use energy-efficient appliances and office equipment, and encourage staff to carpool or use public transportation whenever practical. We have a ‘Green Office Guide’ that is shared with all staff to encourage behaviour that can help us to become even more efficient and environmentally friendly. The Chamber is currently exploring the idea of conducting a carbon footprint assessment.

Download a collection of the Chamber's activities on CNA Initiative in below areas:

  • Publications
  • Events
  • Advocacy

 

CBAM Series

As part of the CNA Initiative and to mark the one-year anniversary of the Chamber's report Carbon Neutrality: The Role of European Business in China’s Race to 2060, we will publish a series of posts on the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

Recent Developments:

On 10th May 2023, the European Parliament and the European Council, as co-legislators, signed the final Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Regulation. The regulation officially entered into force on 17th May 2023, the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

On 13th June 2023, the European Commission published a first call for feedback on the rules governing the implementation of the CBAM during its transitional phase, which starts on 1st October 2023 and runs until the end of 2025. On 17th August 2023, the European Commission officially adopted the rules governing the implementation of the CBAM during its transitional phase, which details the transitional reporting obligations for EU importers of CBAM goods, as well as the transitional methodology for calculating embedded emissions released during the production process of CBAM goods. 

It provides for some flexibility when it comes to the values used to calculate embedded emissions on imports. During the first year of implementation, companies will have the choice of reporting in the following three ways: (1) full reporting according to the new methodology (EU method); (2) reporting based on equivalent third-country national systems; and (3) reporting based on reference values. As of 1st January 2025, only the EU method will be accepted.

To help both importers and third country producers, the European Commission also published guidance for EU importers and non-EU installations (An ‘installation’ means a stationary technical unit where a production process is carried out.) on the practical implementation of the new rules. At the same time, dedicated information technology tools to help importers perform and report these calculations are currently being developed, as well as training materials, webinars and tutorials to support businesses when the transitional mechanism begins.

The first reporting period for importers ends on 31st January 2024, with reporting obligations falling to those importing goods whose production is carbon intensive, including cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity.  

Download the CBAM infographics and FAQs below.