Casasco: “Correcting carbon border adjustment distortions”

“I hope that the motion signed by me for the first time, signed by the entire majority which I thank, can be shared by the entire Chamber because it is of primary interest for Italy and Europe. The motion concerns the critical aspects of the current cbm in anticipation of its definitive entry into force on 1 January 2026, with the aim of ensuring that imported products are subject to a regulatory system that applies carbon costs equivalent to those incurred under the EU-ETS, with the result to reach an equivalent carbon price between imported and domestic products.” He said this Maurizio Casascodeputy of Forza Italia and Head of the Party’s Economy Department, speaking in theMontecitorio Chamberduring the declaration of vote of the motions regarding the revision of the carbon emissions taxation mechanisms (Cbam) for imports to protect the competitiveness of European companies.

“The measure, created with the aim of defending European production in the sectors with the greatest emission intensity in their important and costly decarbonisation path from competition from products imported from countries extra UE which do not have the same CO2 taxation mechanism, in its temporary application, however, there is a potential serious overall loss of competitiveness of the industrial system against which it is our duty to intervene. Environmental protection is also not effectively and comprehensively achieved,” she explained.

“Today, we bring to the House a detailed motion, from which it is clear what the risks are for the Italian and European industry, without however achieving the objectives of climate neutrality. The measure, as it is currently conceived, will cause a sharp increase in the costs of some strategic raw materials for our processing manufacturing, our processing industries, large and small, which export our made in Italy products all over the world will find themselves less competitive on three fronts. : higher prices than non-European competitors; competition with finished products made outside the EU which will be imported without any taxation; many non-European countries do not have adequate taxation of emissions, exercising ‘environmental dumping’ with low-cost products made with raw materials with high emissions Cbam it is therefore not a deterrent to emissions, not intervening against their high emission impact”, he added.

“The Cbam mechanism – he continued Casasco – risks not reaching its environmental targets and adding a regulatory burden that is too burdensome and even counterproductive on the value chains of European companies that have been navigating geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties for years. The effectiveness of the mechanism is, therefore, dubious at best, in the absence of interventions relating both to its application methods and to measures that allow the competitiveness of the de-carbonised European industry to be promoted also in foreign markets.

To date it can only be classified as a partial and incomplete environmental protection measure which should instead be strengthened and which today asymmetrically affects only the import of some strategic raw materials, making them more expensive: expensive raw materials contribute to weakening the competitiveness of our extraordinary manufacturing, putting thousands of jobs at risk, while also contributing to only partially solving the critical issues posed by climate neutrality. Finished products imported without taxation contribute to increasing emissions in countries where they are built without environmental protection,” she said.

“The day after tomorrow I will participate in the meeting of the European business associations, which represents 2 million and 400 thousand companies, represented in the 27 countries that join it, with over 20 million workers. Also in that meeting, at my suggestion, a point was included on the agenda regarding the initiatives to be adopted at a European level, to counteract the negative impacts of the CBAM, on the basis of the motion that we are preparing to vote on today: improving protection environment, safeguard the competitiveness of businesses and defend employment. What we ask is that initiatives be adopted at a European level to counteract the negative impacts of Cbam, on the basis of today’s motion: improve environmental protection, safeguard the competitiveness of businesses and defend employment”, he concluded.