Sweden opposes carbon tax threat
LUXEMBOURG (AFP) - Sweden, the European Union's presidency, spoke out against French and German calls to impose a carbon tax at the EU's borders, saying it could hurt international climate negotiations.
| Related news: • Denmark warns of Copenhagen fiasco |
France and Germany in September called for the United Nations to support a carbon tax on imports from countries who fail to back international efforts to fight global warming.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel argue that states that fail to back a deal at a climate summit Copenhagen in December should be held accountable.
"It's not time to start threatening," said Sweden's Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren on arrival in Luxembourg for a meeting of member state colleagues.
"We are aiming at the international negotiation. This is not just an issue about the EU's internal position. Starting to threat would make things more difficult," he said.
Sarkozy, whose government is to introduce a carbon levy on domestic fuel emissions in 2010, has repeatedly argued for a carbon tax on EU imports from regions with poor environmental standards.
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Last Updated (Wednesday, 21 October 2009 13:50)
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