14. Regrets that the state aid-based compensation regime for indirect costs has created a new source of unfair competition on the EU single market among producers in electricity-intensive sectors, some of whom receive financial support from the authorities in their countries; urges that this compensation be harmonised and, if justified, be granted at European level in order to ensure a level playing field with global competitors and among European producers and ensure effective carbon leakage protection; notes that this is especially true for the six non-ferrous metals that are traded against prices determined by global demand and supp ...[+++]ly, mostly set by the London Stock Exchange; understands, therefore, that base metal producers are ‘price-takers’, which are unable to pass cost increases on to their customers; reaches the conclusion that it is imperative to keep compensations on indirect emissions in place; refers to the agreement on the establishment and operation of a market stability reserve which states that ‘in pursuing the goal of a level playing field, that review should also consider harmonised arrangements to compensate for indirect costs at the Union level’ ; refers in this connection to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 on the implementation of the rules on competition laid down in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty and to Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; calls on the Commission to review the impact of various energy support schemes on the retail prices of energy which indirectly influence competitiveness of energy-intensive industries in individual Member States;

22. Notes that, due to the fact that Europe is a resource-constrained continent, energy prices in the EU have risen sharply in recent years, resulting in a marked deterioration in the global competitiveness of the industry in the EU; recognises that energy prices are the most important cost drivers for the steel industry and other energy-intensive industries; believes that the effective functioning of the single energy market, based on price transparency in particular, is a necessary precondition if the steel industry is to be supplied with secure and sustainable energy at affordable prices; highlights the fact that missing cross-bord ...[+++]er links should be completed and that the existing legislation needs to be fully implemented in order to reap the benefits of a single European energy market; supports the Commission’s promise to step up efforts to decrease the energy price and cost gap between the EU industry and its main competitors, taking into account the strategies of the individual Member States and enabling them to meet their specific national requirements; considers that the Commission should come forward within 12 months with concrete proposals to this end;

industry, including energy intensive industries.

Following consultation with EU industry, the Rules of Origin within the framework of this Agreement were significantly simplified and special consideration was given to sectors including agriculture, fisheries, non-ferrous metals, textiles and clothing while a 45% limit has been set for sensitive consumer electronic items.

In this context, is the Commission aware that the forthcoming decision on benchmarking in the Emissions Trading Scheme poses a serious threat to the competitiveness of energy-intensive industries in Member States which are dependent on a specific fuel mix?

A recent Commission Prices survey indicated that price differences of 30 or 40% between the EU countries with lowest and highest prices are not exceptional, for example, for branded consumer electronics goods (and such differences cannot be explained only by differences in indirect taxes) [37].