Activities Activities Our position on the ETS The Association believes in an ecological transition founded on innovation and genuine sustainability, not on instruments that penalise the competitiveness of responsible companies. The European Emissions Trading System (ETS), as currently implemented, imposes disproportionate costs on sectors — such as ceramics — which already operate in accordance with the highest environmental and safety standards but remain hard to abate, meaning that no mature alternative technologies are yet available to enable further significant emission reductions. We are committed to promoting an evolution of the regulatory framework that safeguards Europe’s productive capacity and recognises the investments already made in energy efficiency and sustainability. We call for an urgent revision of the ETS system and its related mechanisms in order to prevent market distortions and delocalisation processes that harm both the environment and the economy: Reform of the CBAM prior to its application to the ceramic sector, to ensure effective protection against carbon leakage and an efficient reimbursement mechanism for European exporters; Postponement of the reduction in free allowances scheduled from 2026, maintaining the current regime until corrective measures are introduced and aligning it with realistic technological development timelines; Inclusion of the ceramic sector among the beneficiaries of compensation for indirect costs, so as not to penalise electrification processes; Revision of the rules on high-efficiency cogeneration, recognising the value of self-generated and recovered energy; Simplification measures for SMEs, extending access to equivalent national measures (opt-out provisions). The objective is to reconcile decarbonisation with the protection of employment, innovation and the value of local territories, ensuring that the climate transition becomes a driver of sustainable growth rather than a cause of industrial decline.
