The Czech cabinet warned Wednesday that the European Commission's proposal to begin auctioning CO2 emission credits from 2013 would hike energy prices and lower competitiveness for the Czech Republic's industries, the Industry and Trade Ministry said. ( dpa )
The Czech government would prefer the auctions introduced gradually after 2013, the ministry said in a statement.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said earlier that the commission's proposal would drive away energy-demanding manufacturing industries from the central European country.
The commission proposed - as part of its green package aimed at curbing global warming - that companies buy their CO2 emission credits, now distributed for free, in auctions from 2013.
The ministry roughly estimates that the auctioning would cause the electricity prices rise by some 25 to 30 per cent, spokesman Tomas Bartovsky said.
Topolanek is to present the Czech position at an upcoming EU summit, the statement said.