New GDU article: CBAM shouldn`t stand in the way of Europe`s power-market integration

We’re happy to share a new piece by Rouven Stubbe, Energy and Climate Policy Advisor at GDU. The core message is that applying CBAM to electricity in its current form risks discouraging clean imports and slowing the EU’s strategic goal of market integration with neighbours such as Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans—for very little climate benefit. Our modelling suggests EU power imports from neighbours could drop by around 60%, while near-term emission reductions stay below ~0.5%. The UK has already excluded electricity from its UK-CBAM; Europe should consider a similarly pragmatic approach.

GDU’s recommendation is straightforward: either exclude electricity from CBAM, or reform it so it tackles real carbon-leakage without blocking integration—e.g., require evidence of actual leakage risk, use current (hourly/quarter-hourly) grid emission factors, and increase flexibility in the exemption rule for electricity imports (Art. 2.7) for countries demonstrably moving forward toward market coupling and carbon pricing.

Article (DE): CBAM darf kein Hindernis für Europas Strommarktintegration werden is under the link: https://background.tagesspiegel.de/energie-und-klima/briefing/cbam-darf-kein-hindernis-fuer-europas-strommarktintegration-werden