The premiers of three German federal states – Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Saxony – have appealed to the European Commission for urgent action regarding EU climate regulations. In an open letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the politicians warn that current regulations threaten the competitiveness of European industry and could lead to investment flight. They call for the swift presentation of proposals to reform the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the introduction of mechanisms to protect against unfair competition. Simultaneously, the state premiers are demanding that federal authorities quickly lower electricity prices for industry, arguing this is crucial for preserving jobs.

Appeal by Three State Premiers

The premiers of Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Saxony, Reiner Haseloff, Dietmar Woidke, and Michael Kretschmer, have sent a joint letter to Ursula von der Leyen. In it, they call on the European Commission to take immediate action to reform EU climate policy, arguing that the current legal framework is a threat to industry.

Warning of Investment Flight

The politicians point to the risk of relocating production and investment outside the European Union to regions with more lenient climate requirements. They emphasize that without appropriate protective mechanisms, such as the carbon border tax (CBAM), European companies will lose competitiveness on the global stage.

Demand for ETS System Reform

A key demand of the letter is the urgent reform of the EU Emissions Trading System. The premiers demand that the Commission present concrete proposals to ease the financial burden on energy-intensive industrial sectors such as chemicals and steel.

Parallel Pressure on Federal Government

Shortly before, the heads of the state governments also appealed to the German federal government to accelerate work on lowering electricity prices for industry. This demand is directly linked to concerns about competitiveness and jobs in industrial regions.

The premiers of three eastern German states – Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Saxony – have issued a joint, urgent appeal to the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. In an open letter, politicians Reiner Haseloff (CDU), Dietmar Woidke (SPD), and Michael Kretschmer (CDU) call on Brussels to take immediate action to change EU climate regulations. In their view, current regulations pose a serious threat to the competitiveness of European, and particularly German, industry. The premiers warn of the real risk of carbon leakage, i.e., moving energy-intensive production outside the European Union. The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has been a key instrument of the Community's climate policy since 2005. It is based on the 'polluter pays' principle, where companies must hold allowances for every ton of CO2 emitted. The price of these allowances has increased significantly in recent years, raising industry operating costs. In response to the risk of losing competitiveness, the EU is working on a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which aims to impose a fee on imports of goods from countries with more lenient standards. The main demand of the three premiers is an urgent reform of the EU ETS system. They demand that the European Commission "act now" and present concrete proposals for changes. In their opinion, the current financial burdens from purchasing emission allowances are too high for key industrial sectors such as chemical, steel, cement, or glass, which are of great importance to their states' economies. The politicians emphasize the need to introduce effective protective mechanisms, including the full implementation of the aforementioned carbon border tax (CBAM), which would level the playing field for European producers and importers. „„Hier muss Brüssel jetzt handeln”” — Reiner Haseloff Parallel to this pressure on EU institutions, the heads of the state governments are also lobbying for action at the federal level. The day before the letter to von der Leyen was published, at a press conference, the premiers clearly appealed to the federal government to accelerate work on lowering electricity prices for industry. They argue that high energy costs are a direct threat to maintaining jobs in industrial regions. This two-pronged pressure – on both Brussels and Berlin – illustrates the scale of concern among regional political leaders in Germany. These concerns are particularly visible in the eastern states, where traditional industry plays a key economic and social role. The appeal by Premiers Haseloff, Woidke, and Kretschmer reflects a broader debate in Europe about how to reconcile ambitious climate goals with the need to maintain economic competitiveness and protect jobs.

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