According to reports in Slovak and international media, Fico raised this request directly during his meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Describing the EU’s carbon pricing mechanism as a “structural burden” for Central European industry, Fico argued that under current conditions, the system further increases production costs.
Fico’s remarks come at a time when EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) allowance prices remain a critical issue on the agenda for both policymakers and market participants. The ETS which covers power generation, heavy industry, and aviation continues to serve as one of the cornerstone instruments of Europe’s climate policy. Recent reforms implemented under the “Fit for 55” package have tightened the emissions cap and expanded the system’s scope. While these measures have strengthened carbon price signals, they have also heightened cost-related risks for energy-intensive sectors.
The Slovak Prime Minister warned that accelerating decarbonization, combined with geopolitical shocks and weak demand conditions, could adversely impact European manufacturing. Slovak media analyses noted that, ahead of the European Commission’s next term, politicians from several other member states have also called for either a temporary pause or the introduction of flexibility mechanisms within the ETS.
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