The European Union will propose carbon border measures as soon as possible to protect its industries from competitors in countries with less stringent climate policies, the bloc's industry chief said on Thursday.
The European Commission, the bloc's executive, is planning to propose a carbon border mechanism in 2021, but on Thursday fielded a call from Spain to bring forward the proposal to the second half of this year.
"We at the Commission will push for one to be installed as soon as possible," EU industry commissioner Thierry Breton told reporters after a meeting of EU industry ministers, adding that the policy is a "fair and appropriate measure" to support companies as they decarbonize.