Brussels, 29/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission approved the British system for trading emission rights for greenhouse gases, which should enter into force at the beginning of 2002, mechanism that would enable to achieve a reduction in global emissions. To establish its systems, each Member States has the choice between a system of optional rights trading to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases, which may require financial incentives given to companies, or a obligatory system that does not need to be supported by the State. The United Kingdom chose to create an optional system, which foresees incentives totalling GBP 30 million per year, net from tax, staggered over five years and divided between all the companies taking part in the system, in exchange for their participation and their undertaking to reduce their emissions in absolute figures. The system also institutes a trading system for rights that would enable the holders of emission quotas targeted by the system and by conventions on climatic change to sell their quotas to each other. These financial incentives and the rights trading mechanism are considered to be State aids since they benefit certain companies and potentially trade between Member States, but the Commission felt that they where compatible with the Community framework for aids towards the protection of the environment. The British system nevertheless differs noticeably from the choices operated by the Commission in its recent draft directive on trading emission rights within the EU. The draft is based on the principal of obligation, without financial incentive, companies being themselves responsible for their emissions. If it welcomes the initiative taken by the British government, which permits for the trading of emission quotas before the creations of a system at the European level, the Commission nevertheless requested progressive changes to the British system in order to adapt it to Community legislation.