During the current plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, a resolution on energy-intensive sectors was discussed, which calls for accelerating the permitting process for clean energy projects and the rapid implementation of regulations governing the design of the electricity market in order to lower energy costs, improve energy system integration, and increase investment in grid infrastructure. PiS MEP Daniel Obajtek spoke on behalf of the ECR Group during the discussion.
“We need very swift decisions and reforms today, especially when it comes to the ETS,” the MEP emphasized. In Obajtek’s view, energy-intensive industries need solutions “here and now” because they cannot withstand high energy costs. Lowering energy costs, the politician said, is crucial for the EU to remain competitive. The PiS MEP stated that he had submitted a draft amendment that would allow ETS costs to be converted into investments. "In other words, emitters who pay a CO2 emissions tax could very quickly convert those funds into zero- and low-emission investments," the MEP explained. As he noted, the ETS was created to facilitate decarbonization and the energy transition. “But Prime Minister Mario Draghi himself said that the ETS is not fulfilling its role in decarbonization,” Obajtek noted, arguing that his idea of converting CO2 emission costs into investments would ensure rapid capital, swift decision-making, and quick investment in the economy. “And after all, that’s what we all care about,” he emphasized.
