Access for SMEs to European Emissions Trading -EIB and KfW launch new EUR 100 million-carbon programme for the purchase of carbon emission credits

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and KfW Bankengruppe (KfW) have launched a joint programme for the purchase of carbon credits from JI and CDM projects. The programme has a volume of EUR 100 million and constitutes the follow up programme and second tranche of the KfW Carbon Fund. The new EIB-KfW Carbon Programme was launched today at the Carbon Expo in Cologne with the signature of a Memorandum of Unterstanding be-tween both institutions.

"This is an excellent opportunity for small and medium-sized European enterprises to partici-pate in the market for emission reduction credits from CDM and JI projects," said Detlef Leinberger, member of the Board of Managing Directors of KfW Bankengruppe.

"This initiative demonstrates how two of the major European financial institutions, by joining forces, can participate to effectively tackling the challenges of climate change,“ said EIB Di-rector Thomas Barrett.

The purpose of this EIB-KfW Carbon Programme is to finance the purchase of carbon credits by enterprises, particularly SMEs from all of Europe that have no access of their own to these projects yet wish to use the carbon credits as part of their compliance obligations and consistent with to reduce their CO2 emissions in the framework of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) and are interested in directly purchasing carbon credits. The pro-gramme also offers these enterprises a guaranteed delivery option This new product will benefit not only European enterprises but also enterprises in developing, transition and in-dustrialising countries that are able to offer appropriate CDM or other JI projects.

See full Press Release.