Cerame-Unie has addressed an urgent letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding the severe challenges facing the sector and the need for a short-term review of the EU ETS Directive (2026-2030) within the forthcoming Environmental Omnibus.

The European ceramic industry is currently navigating a critical landscape where energy costs remain double pre-crisis levels and carbon prices are more than four times higher than in 2020. With ceramic manufacturing having declined by 30% since 2021, urgent regulatory action is required to prevent further cost increases and safeguard competitiveness.

To ensure the industry can continue its transition towards climate neutrality while remaining competitive, Cerame-Unie requests that the Environmental Omnibus includes the following measures:

• Simplifications for small emitters: Raising the threshold for opting into national equivalent measures from 25,000 to 50,000 CO2/year. This adjustment, foreseen under Art. 27 of the EU ETS Directive, would significantly reduce the administrative burden for SMEs without affecting decarbonisation goals.
• Establishment of an EU ETS Crisis Mechanism: Providing temporary relief for sectors demonstrably affected by the crisis. This mechanism should allow for either a suspension of the EU allowances (EUA) surrendering obligation or a freeze on the free allocation decrease rate for sectors exposed to carbon leakage.
• Extension of Indirect Cost Compensation: Including all ceramic industry sectors in the ETS State Aid Guidelines. This is crucial to prevent carbon leakage and support decarbonisation investments.

A short-term EU ETS review is the most effective measure to safeguard the competitiveness of the ceramic industry while continuing to advance the EU's climate objectives.

Read the full letter below:

CU POSITION PAPER