As the 27-country EU seeks to meet tougher emissions-cutting targets, it is negotiating a raft of laws to put a price on pollution - including an upgrade of its existing carbon market for industry and power plants, and a new scheme to impose CO2 costs on suppliers of fuels used in transport and buildings.
Diplomats said the 2027 launch - which could change during the negotiations - should not undermine the EU's climate targets, so long as other parts of the proposal were strengthened. The proposal, drafted by France which currently chairs meetings of EU countries, would also gradually add shipping to the existing EU carbon market by 2027, a year later than initially planned.