Several developing countries claimed that the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) poses international rules problems at a meeting at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Wednesday 13 October.
According to a senior Geneva official, the countries in question have indicated that the CBAM is inconsistent with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
This principle states that it is unfair to subject developing countries to the same responsibilities as industrialised countries, as the latter are more responsible for environmental problems.
For the EU, on the other hand, the differing levels of ambition are the main reason for the need to establish such a mechanism.
Also at this meeting, Russia recalled that it had circulated a series of questions to the EU on the CBAM. The document circulated contains no less than fifty questions.
On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the EU’s CBAM project was causing concern in Russia. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)