EU Leaders Clash Over Carbon Pricing at Summit, Push for Delay Rejected

At an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, a discussion meant to address soaring energy prices devolved into a three‑hour argument over the EU’s upcoming ETS2 carbon‑pricing scheme. Italy, Poland, Czechia, Hungary and Estonia called for a two‑year delay or even scrapping of the law, which will put a price on heating and transport from 2028. A majority of the bloc rejected the proposals, with several diplomats describing the offer as “unacceptable” and stating the launch date would never change. The debate reflects a growing sense among right‑leaning governments that the EU’s green agenda clashes with their goal of lowering household energy bills. ETS2, together with the existing Emissions Trading System that taxes factory and power‑plant emissions, is the EU’s most powerful tool for cutting planet‑warming emissions. Italy and Poland have led a growing group of 16 member states demanding a reassessment of ETS2 and a postponement to at least 2030, but the majority of leaders, including those from Nordic countries, the Netherlands, France and Germany, remain firmly opposed to any changes. The clash comes amid rising far‑right influence in France and Germany, where the ETS has become a political lightning rod.