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Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

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  • Emissions Trading Schemes fees, charges and civil penalties

    Topics:
    • Pollution, 
    • Carbon Emissions Trading

    The charges associated with the UK ETS scheme and EU ETS are aligned and are presented in the table below. The fee and charges are due from 1st April 2024. Charges in relation to Free Allocation and Aviation are not relevant to participation in the EU Scheme.

    Fees and charges

    Charge categoryCategory A
    Less than 50kt per year
    Category B
    At least 50kt and no more than 500kt
    Category C
    more than 500kt
    Permit application£1,774£3,325£7,940
    Annual subsistence£3,384£4,409£5,420
    Variation£561£561£561
    Transfer£561£561£561
    Revocation£893£893£893
    Surrender£893£893£893
    Allocation from New Entrant Reserve *£1,487£1,487£1,487

    * An application for Retention of Allocation will be charged at £154 multiplied by the number of hours specified in the relevant notice and is now only applicable to the UK scheme.

    • EU Emissions Trading Fees and Charges 2024
    • UK Emissions Trading Fees and Charges 2024
    • CORSIA Charging Scheme 2025

    Civil penalties

    For EU Participants the 2012 regulations and for UK Participants the the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020 requires you to pay a civil penalty if you do not surrender sufficient allowances to cover your reportable emissions by 30 April each year, and for various other breaches of your permit and monitoring plan.

    The EU Carbon price can be viewed at NI EU Carbon price for use in determining civil penalties 2025.

    The UK Carbon price can be viewed at Determinations of the UK ETS carbon price | gov.uk.

    Participants or operators who have not complied with their legal requirements and received a penalty:

    The Old Bushmills Distillery Co LTD

    Failure to comply with Article 26 of the Order. A regulated activity was carried out at the Old Bushmills Distillery Co. LTD, 2 Distillery Road, Bushmills, BT57 8XH from 8 August 2021 to 31 December 2022 without a permit.

    Penalty £1,064,889 (published August 2024)

    Directions to the Chief Inspector:

    Issued under Articles 50(4) and 60(6) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Directions are given by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs under section 52 of the Climate Change Act 2008.

    The relevant regulatory bodies in each UK nation are responsible for the regulation of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). This includes issuing civil penalties for non-compliance with greenhouse gas emissions permits. These regulatory bodies need further directions to ensure consistency of approach. In Northern Ireland:

    • The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs issues these Directions as the relevant national authority;
    • The Chief Inspector is the regulatory body.

    The directions are pursuant to penalties issued to installation operators for operating without a permit (article 50(4)) and to ultra-small emitters that have failed to notify that their emissions have exceeded the maximum permitted amount (article 60(6)).

    Direction to the Chief Inspector in Northern Ireland: article 50(4) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Direction to the Chief Inspector in Northern Ireland: article 60(6) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Other UK administrations have issued similar Directions to their respective regulators, which can be found here:

    Direction to the Environment Agency in England: article 50(4) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Direction to the Environment Agency in England: article 60(6) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Direction to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in Scotland: article 50(4) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Direction to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in Scotland: article 60(6) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Direction to Natural Resources Wales in Wales: article 50(4) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Direction to Natural Resources Wales in Wales: article 60(6) of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

    Additional Information

    Please contact emission.trading@daera-ni.gov.uk if you have any queries.

    During the transfer to the new METS system the ETSWAP system should not be used to submit notifications, applications and monitoring reports and activity level change submissions.

    Related content

    • Developing the UK ETS 2022
    • Emissions Trading Schemes
    • Government response to consultation on proposed amendments to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020
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