Six EU nations, including Poland and Romania, are pushing to freeze the reduction of free carbon permits for heavy industry. They argue that high energy costs and global competition make the current phase-out plan a risk to industrial survival. This dispute highlights the struggle to balance the EU's 2040 climate targets with the need to prevent carbon leakage. While some states want stricter rules to drive green investment, others warn that aggressive permit cuts could force factories to relocate outside Europe.
