European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), saying it demonstrates how decarbonization and industrial competitiveness can develop in parallel.
Speaking at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp on 11 February 2026, she said emissions from sectors covered by the ETS had fallen by 39 percent since the introduction of the system in 2005, while output in the same sectors increased by 71 percent.
Carbon revenues to be reinvested in industrial transformation
Since its launch, the ETS has generated more than €260 billion in revenue. At EU level, these funds have been allocated to industrial innovation and decarbonization initiatives.
A key instrument is the €100 billion Industrial Decarbonization Bank, designed to support large-scale transformation projects. The first pilot auction of the €1 billion scheme, which will fund projects such as low-carbon furnaces and advanced metal processing, is expected to end soon.
Member states have called for more ETS revenue to be channeled into industry
Von der Leyen noted that EU member states are currently dedicate less than five percent of their ETS revenues to industrial decarbonization. She said that share should increase and indicated that the issue would be raised with national leaders.
The share of ETS revenue reinvested in industry is expected to increase.
