Article 10a — Transitional ►M9 Union ◄ -wide rules for harmonised free allocation

1. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 23 to supplement this Directive concerning the Union-wide and fully harmonised rules for the allocation of allowances referred to in paragraphs 4, 5, 7 and 19 of this Article. The measures referred to in the first subparagraph shall, to the extent feasible, determine ►M9 Union ◄ -wide ex-ante benchmarks so as to ensure that allocation takes place in a manner that provides incentives for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficient techniques, by taking account of the most efficient techniques, substitutes, alternative production processes, high efficiency cogeneration, efficient energy recovery of waste gases, use of biomass and capture and storage of CO2, where such facilities are available, and shall not provide incentives to increase emissions. No free allocation shall be made in respect of any electricity production, except for cases falling within Article 10c and electricity produced from waste gases. If an installation is covered by the obligation to conduct an energy audit or to implement a certified energy management system under Article 8 of Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 17 ) and if the recommendations of the audit report or of the certified energy management system are not implemented, unless the pay-back time for the relevant investments exceeds three years or unless the costs of those investments are disproportionate, then the amount of free allocation shall be reduced by 20 %. The amount of free allocation shall not be reduced if an operator demonstrates that it has implemented other measures which lead to greenhouse gas emission reductions equivalent to those recommended by the audit report or by the certified energy management system for the installation concerned. The Commission shall supplement this Directive by providing, in the delegated acts adopted pursuant to this paragraph and without prejudice to the rules applicable under Directive 2012/27/EU, for administratively simple harmonised rules for the application of the third subparagraph of this paragraph that ensure that the application of the conditionality does not jeopardise a level playing field, environmental integrity or equal treatment between installations across the Union. Those harmonised rules shall in particular provide for timelines, for criteria for the recognition of implemented energy efficiency measures as well as for alternative measures reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using the procedure for national implementing measures in accordance with Article 11(1) of this Directive. In addition to the requirements set out in the third subparagraph of this paragraph, the reduction by 20 % referred to in that subparagraph shall be applied where, by 1 May 2024, operators of installations whose greenhouse gas emission levels are higher than the 80th percentile of emission levels for the relevant product benchmarks have not established a climate-neutrality plan for each of those installations for its activities covered by this Directive. That plan shall contain the elements specified in Article 10b(4) and be established in accordance with the implementing acts provided for in that Article. Article 10b(4) shall be read as only referring to the installation level. The achievement of the targets and milestones referred to in Article 10b(4), third subparagraph, point (b), shall be verified in respect of the period until 31 December 2025 and in respect of each period ending 31 December of each fifth year thereafter, in accordance with the verification and accreditation procedures provided for in Article 15. No free allowances beyond 80 % shall be allocated if achievement of the intermediate targets and milestones has not been verified in respect of the period until the end of 2025 or in respect of the period from 2026 to 2030. Allowances that are not allocated due to a reduction of free allocation in accordance with the third and fifth subparagraphs of this paragraph shall be used to exempt installations from the adjustment in accordance with paragraph 5 of this Article. Where any such allowances remain, 50 % of those allowances shall be made available to support innovation in accordance with paragraph 8 of this Article. The other 50 % of those allowances shall be auctioned in accordance with Article 10(1) of this Directive and Member States should use the respective revenues to address any residual risk of carbon leakage in the sectors covered by Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/956, supporting the transition and promoting their decarbonisation in accordance with State aid rules. No free allocation shall be given to installations in sectors or subsectors to the extent they are covered by other measures to address the risk of carbon leakage as established by Regulation (EU) 2023/956. The measures referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph shall be adjusted accordingly. For each sector and subsector, in principle, the benchmark shall be calculated for products rather than for inputs, in order to maximise greenhouse gas emission reductions and energy efficiency savings throughout each production process of the sector or the subsector concerned. In order to provide further incentives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency and to ensure a level playing field for installations using new technologies that partly reduce or fully eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, and installations using existing technologies, the determined Union-wide ex-ante benchmarks shall be reviewed in relation to their application in the period from 2026 to 2030, with a view to potentially modifying the definitions and system boundaries of existing product benchmarks, considering as guiding principles the circular use-potential of materials and that the benchmarks should be independent of the feedstock and the type of production process, where the production processes have the same purpose. The Commission shall endeavour to adopt the implementing acts for the purpose of determining the revised benchmark values for free allocation in accordance with paragraph 2, third subparagraph, as soon as possible and before the start of the period from 2026 to 2030. In defining the principles for setting ex-ante benchmarks in individual sectors and subsectors, the Commission shall consult the relevant stakeholders, including the sectors and subsectors concerned. The Commission shall, upon the approval by the ►M9 Union ◄ of an international agreement on climate change leading to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions comparable to those of the ►M9 Union ◄ , review those measures to provide that free allocation is only to take place where this is fully justified in the light of that agreement. 1a. Subject to the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/956, no free allocation shall be given in relation to the production of goods listed in Annex I to that Regulation. By way of derogation from the first subparagraph of this paragraph, for the first years of application of Regulation (EU) 2023/956, the production of goods listed in Annex I to that Regulation shall benefit from free allocation in reduced amounts. A factor reducing the free allocation for the production of those goods shall be applied (CBAM factor). The CBAM factor shall be equal to 100 % for the period between the entry into force of that Regulation and the end of 2025 and, subject to the application of provisions referred to in Article 36(2), point (b), of that Regulation, shall be equal to 97,5 % in 2026, 95 % in 2027, 90 % in 2028, 77,5 % in 2029, 51,5 % in 2030, 39 % in 2031, 26,5 % in 2032 and 14 % in 2033. From 2034, no CBAM factor shall apply. The reduction of free allocation shall be calculated annually as the average share of the demand for free allocation for the production of goods listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/956 compared to the calculated total free allocation demand for all installations, for the relevant period referred to in Article 11(1) of this Directive. The CBAM factor shall be applied in this calculation. Allowances resulting from the reduction of free allocation shall be made available to support innovation in accordance with paragraph 8. By 31 December 2024 and as part of its annual report to the European Parliament and to the Council pursuant to Article 10(5) of this Directive, the Commission shall assess the carbon leakage risk for goods subject to CBAM and produced in the Union for export to third countries which do not apply the EU ETS or a similar carbon pricing mechanism. The report shall in particular assess the carbon leakage risk in sectors to which CBAM will apply, in particular the role and accelerated uptake of hydrogen, and the developments as regards trade flows and the embedded emissions of goods produced by those sectors on the global market. Where the report concludes that there is a carbon leakage risk for goods produced in the Union for export to third countries which do not apply the EU ETS or an equivalent carbon pricing mechanism, the Commission shall, where appropriate, submit a legislative proposal to address that carbon leakage risk in a manner that is compliant with the rules of the World Trade Organization, including Article XX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, and takes into account the decarbonisation of installations in the Union. 2. In defining the principles for setting ex-ante benchmarks in individual sectors or subsectors, the starting point shall be the average performance of the 10 % most efficient installations in a sector or subsector in the ►M9 Union ◄ in the years 2007-2008. The Commission shall consult the relevant stakeholders, including the sectors and subsectors concerned. The ►M9 acts ◄ pursuant to Articles 14 and 15 shall provide for harmonised rules on monitoring, reporting and verification of production-related greenhouse gas emissions with a view to determining the ex-ante benchmarks. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts for the purpose of determining the revised benchmark values for free allocation. Those acts shall be in accordance with the delegated acts adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article and shall comply with the following: (a) For the period from 2021 to 2025, the benchmark values shall be determined on the basis of information submitted pursuant to Article 11 for the years 2016 and 2017. On the basis of a comparison of those benchmark values with the benchmark values contained in Commission Decision 2011/278/EU ( 18 ), as adopted on 27 April 2011, the Commission shall determine the annual reduction rate for each benchmark, and shall apply it to the benchmark values applicable in the period from 2013 to 2020 in respect of each year between 2008 and 2023 to determine the benchmark values for the period from 2021 to 2025. (b) Where the annual reduction rate exceeds 1,6 % or is below 0,2 %, the benchmark values for the period from 2021 to 2025 shall be the benchmark values applicable in the period from 2013 to 2020 reduced by whichever of those two percentage rates is relevant, in respect of each year between 2008 and 2023. (c) For the period from 2026 to 2030, the benchmark values shall be determined in the same manner as set out in points (a) and (d) of this subparagraph, taking into account point (e) of this subparagraph, on the basis of information submitted pursuant to Article 11 for the years 2021 and 2022 and on the basis of applying the annual reduction rate in respect of each year between 2008 and 2028. (d) Where the annual reduction rate exceeds 2,5 % or is below 0,3 %, the benchmark values for the period from 2026 to 2030 shall be the benchmark values applicable in the period from 2013 to 2020 reduced by whichever of those two percentage rates is relevant, in respect of each year between 2008 and 2028. (e) For the period from 2026 to 2030, the annual reduction rate for the product benchmark for hot metal shall not be affected by the change of benchmark definitions and system boundaries applicable pursuant to paragraph 1, eighth subparagraph. By way of derogation regarding the benchmark values for aromatics and syngas, those benchmark values shall be adjusted by the same percentage as the refineries benchmarks in order to preserve a level playing field for producers of those products. The implementing acts referred to in the third subparagraph shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 22a(2). In order to promote efficient energy recovery from waste gases, for the period referred to in point (b) of the third subparagraph, the benchmark value for hot metal, which predominantly relates to waste gases, shall be updated with an annual reduction rate of 0,2 %. 5. In order to respect the auctioning share set out in Article 10, for every year in which the sum of free allocations does not reach the maximum amount that respects the auctioning share, the remaining allowances up to that amount shall be used to prevent or limit reduction of free allocations to respect the auctioning share in later years. Where, nonetheless, the maximum amount is reached, free allocations shall be adjusted accordingly. Any such adjustment shall be done in a uniform manner. However, installations whose greenhouse gas emission levels are below the average of the 10 % most efficient installations in a sector or subsector in the Union for the relevant benchmarks in a year when the adjustment applies shall be exempted from that adjustment. 5a. By way of derogation from paragraph 5, an additional amount of up to 3 % of the total quantity of allowances shall, to the extent necessary, be used to increase the maximum amount available under paragraph 5. 5b. Where less than 3 % of the total quantity of allowances is needed to increase the maximum amount available under paragraph 5: — a maximum of 50 million allowances shall be used to increase the amount of allowances available to support innovation in accordance with Article 10a(8); and — a maximum of 0,5 % of the total quantity of allowances shall be used to increase the amount of allowances available to modernise the energy systems of certain Member States in accordance with Article 10d. 6. ►M15 Member States should adopt financial measures in accordance with the second and fourth subparagraphs of this paragraph in favour of sectors or subsectors which are exposed to a genuine risk of carbon leakage due to significant indirect costs that are actually incurred from greenhouse gas emission costs passed on in electricity prices, provided that such financial measures are in accordance with State aid rules, and in particular do not cause undue distortions of competition in the internal market. The financial measures adopted should not compensate indirect costs covered by free allocation in accordance with the benchmarks established pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article. Where a Member State spends an amount higher than the equivalent of 25 % of the auction revenues referred to in Article 10(3) for the year in which the indirect costs were incurred, it shall set out the reasons for exceeding that amount. ◄ Member States shall also seek to use no more than 25 % of the revenues generated from the auctioning of allowances for the financial measures referred to in the first subparagraph. Within three months of the end of each year, Member States that have such financial measures in place shall make available to the public, in an easily accessible form, the total amount of compensation provided per benefitting sector and subsector. As from 2018, in any year in which a Member State uses more than 25 % of the revenues generated from the auctioning of allowances for such purposes, it shall publish a report setting out the reasons for exceeding that amount. The report shall include relevant information on electricity prices for large industrial consumers benefiting from such financial measures, without prejudice to requirements regarding the protection of confidential information. The report shall also include information on whether due consideration has been given to other measures to sustainably lower indirect carbon costs in the medium to long term. The Commission shall include in the report provided for in Article 10(5), inter alia, an assessment of the effects of such financial measures on the internal market and, where appropriate, recommend any measures that may be necessary pursuant to that assessment. Those measures shall be such as to ensure that there is adequate protection against the risk of carbon leakage, based on ex-ante benchmarks for the indirect emissions of CO2 per unit of production. Those ex-ante benchmarks shall be calculated for a given sector or subsector as the product of the electricity consumption per unit of production corresponding to the most efficient available technologies and of the CO2 emissions of the relevant European electricity production mix. 7. ►M9 Allowances from the maximum amount referred to in paragraph 5 of this Article which were not allocated for free by 2020 shall be set aside for new entrants, together with 200 million allowances placed in the market stability reserve pursuant to Article 1(3) of Decision (EU) 2015/1814. Of the allowances set aside, up to 200 million shall be returned to the market stability reserve at the end of the period from 2021 to 2030 if not allocated for that period. ◄ From 2021, allowances that, pursuant to paragraphs 19, 20 and 22, are not allocated to installations shall be added to the amount of allowances set aside in accordance with the first subparagraph, first sentence, of this paragraph. Allocations shall be adjusted by the linear factor referred to in Article 9. No free allocation shall be made in respect of any electricity production by new entrants. 8. 345 million allowances from the quantity which could otherwise be allocated for free pursuant to this Article, and 80 million allowances from the quantity which could otherwise be auctioned pursuant to Article 10, as well as the allowances resulting from the reduction of free allocation referred to in paragraph 1a of this Article, shall be made available to a fund (the ‘Innovation Fund’) with the objective of supporting innovation in low- and zero-carbon techniques, processes and technologies that contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of the sectors covered by this Directive and contribute to zero pollution and circularity objectives, including projects aimed at scaling up such techniques, processes and technologies with a view to their broad roll-out across the Union. Such projects shall possess significant greenhouse gas emissions abatement potential and contribute to energy and resource savings in line with the Union’s climate and energy targets for 2030. The Commission shall frontload Innovation Fund allowances to ensure that an adequate amount of resources is available to foster innovation, including for scaling up. Allowances that are not issued to aircraft operators due to them ceasing operations and which are not necessary to cover any shortfall in surrenders by those operators shall also be used for innovation support as referred to in the first subparagraph. Moreover, 5 million allowances from the quantity referred to in Article 3c(5) and (7) relating to aviation allocations for 2026 shall be made available for innovation support as referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph. In addition, 50 million unallocated allowances from the market stability reserve shall supplement any remaining revenues from the 300 million allowances available in the period from 2013 to 2020 under Commission Decision 2010/670/EU ( 19 ), and shall be used in a timely manner for innovation support as referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph. When designing and implementing calls for proposals or competitive bidding under the Innovation Fund, the Commission shall consider strategic projects recognised in accordance with a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem, which are deemed to contribute to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) in accordance with Article 2(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/795 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 20 ). Member States shall consider providing support from the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 21 ) and the Just Transition Fund established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 to projects in their territory in the context of financial mechanisms developed under the Innovation Fund, such as the ‘auction-as-a-service’ scheme. The Innovation Fund shall cover the sectors listed in Annexes I and III, as well as products and processes substituting carbon intensive ones produced or used in sectors listed in Annex I, including innovative renewable energy and energy storage technologies and environmentally safe carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) that contributes substantially to mitigating climate change, in particular for unavoidable process emissions, and shall help stimulate the construction and operation of projects aimed at the environmentally safe capture, transport and geological storage (CCS) of CO2, in particular for unavoidable industrial process emissions, and the direct capture of CO2 from the atmosphere with safe, sustainable and permanent storage (DACS), in geographically balanced locations. The Innovation Fund may also support breakthrough innovative technologies and infrastructure, including production of low- and zero-carbon fuels, to decarbonise the maritime, aviation, rail and road transport sectors, including collective forms of transport such as public transport and coach services. For aviation, it may also support electrification and actions to reduce the overall climate impacts of aviation. The Commission shall give special attention to projects in sectors covered by Regulation (EU) 2023/956 to support innovation in low-carbon technologies, CCU, CCS, renewable energy and energy storage, in a way that contributes to mitigating climate change with the aim of awarding, over the period from 2021 to 2030, projects in those sectors a significant share of the equivalence in financial value of the allowances referred to in paragraph 1a, fourth subparagraph, of this Article. In addition, the Commission may launch, before 2027, calls for proposals dedicated to the sectors covered by that Regulation. The Commission shall also give special attention to projects contributing to the decarbonisation of the maritime sector and shall include topics dedicated to that purpose in the Innovation Fund calls for proposals, where appropriate, including to electrify maritime transport, and to address its full climate impact, including black carbon emissions. Such calls for proposals shall also, in the criteria used for the selection of projects, take particular account of the potential for increasing biodiversity protection and for reducing noise and water pollution from projects and investments. The Innovation Fund may in accordance with paragraph 8a support projects through competitive bidding, such as CDs, CCDs or fixed premium contracts to support decarbonisation technologies for which the carbon price might not be a sufficient incentive. The Commission shall seek synergies between the Innovation Fund and Horizon Europe, in particular in relation to European partnerships, and shall, where relevant, seek synergies between the Innovation Fund and other Union programmes. Projects in the territory of all Member States, including small-scale and medium-scale projects, shall be eligible, and, for maritime activities, projects with clear added value for the Union shall be eligible. Technologies receiving support shall be innovative and not yet commercially viable at a similar scale without support, but shall represent breakthrough solutions or be sufficiently mature for application on a pre-commercial scale. The Commission shall ensure that the allowances destined for the Innovation Fund are auctioned in accordance with the principles and modalities referred to in Article 10(4) of this Directive. Proceeds from the auctioning shall constitute external assigned revenue in accordance with Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 22 ). Budgetary commitments for actions extending over more than one financial year may be broken down into annual instalments over several years. The Commission shall, on request, provide technical assistance to Member States with low effective participation in projects under the Innovation Fund for the purpose of increasing the capacities of the requesting Member State to support the efforts of project proponents in their respective territories to submit applications for funding from the Innovation Fund, in order to improve the effective geographical participation in the Innovation Fund and increase the overall quality of submitted projects. The Commission shall pursue effective, quality-based geographical coverage in relation to funding from the Innovation Fund across the Union and shall ensure comprehensive monitoring of progress and appropriate follow-up in that respect. Subject to the agreement of applicants, following the closure of a call for proposals, the Commission shall inform Member States of the applications for funding of projects in their respective territories and shall provide them with detailed information concerning those applications in order to facilitate Member States’ coordination of the support for projects. In addition, the Commission shall inform Member States about the list of pre-selected projects prior to the award of the support. Projects shall be selected by means of a transparent selection procedure, in a technology-neutral manner in accordance with the objectives of the Innovation Fund as set out in the first subparagraph of this paragraph and on the basis of objective and transparent criteria, taking into account the extent to which projects provide a significant contribution to the Union’s climate and energy targets while contributing to the zero pollution and circularity objectives in accordance with the first subparagraph of this paragraph, and, where relevant, the extent to which projects contribute to achieving emission reductions well below the benchmarks referred to in paragraph 2. Projects shall have the potential for widespread application or to significantly lower the costs of transitioning towards a climate-neutral economy in the sectors concerned. Priority shall be given to innovative technologies and processes addressing multiple environmental impacts. Projects involving CCU shall deliver a net reduction in emissions and ensure avoidance or permanent storage of CO2. In the case of grants provided through calls for proposals, up to 60 % of the relevant costs of projects may be supported, out of which up to 40 % need not be dependent on verified avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions, provided that pre-determined milestones, taking into account the technology deployed, are attained. In the case of support provided through competitive bidding and in the case of technical assistance support, up to 100 % of the relevant costs of projects may be supported. The potential for emission reductions in multiple sectors offered by combined projects, including in nearby areas, shall be taken into account in the criteria used for the selection of projects. Projects funded by the Innovation Fund shall be required to share knowledge with other relevant projects as well as with Union-based researchers having a legitimate interest. The terms of knowledge sharing shall be defined by the Commission in calls for proposals. The calls for proposals shall be open and transparent. In preparing the calls for proposals, the Commission shall strive to ensure that all sectors are duly covered. The Commission shall take measures to ensure that the calls are communicated as widely as possible, and especially to small and medium-sized enterprises. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 23 to supplement this Directive concerning rules on the operation of the Innovation Fund, including the selection procedure and criteria, and the eligible sectors and technological requirements for the different types of support. No project shall receive support via the mechanism under this paragraph that exceeds 15 % of the total number of allowances available for this purpose. Those allowances shall be taken into account under paragraph 7. By 31 December 2023 and every year thereafter, the Commission shall report to the Climate Change Committee referred to in Article 22a(1) of this Directive, on the implementation of the Innovation Fund, providing an analysis of projects awarded funding, by sector and by Member State, and the expected contribution of those projects towards the objective of climate neutrality in the Union as set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/1119. The Commission shall provide the report to the European Parliament and to the Council and shall make that report public. 8a. For CDs and CCDs awarded upon conclusion of a competitive bidding mechanism, appropriate coverage through budgetary commitments resulting from the proceeds of auctioning of allowances available in the Innovation Fund shall be provided and those budgetary commitments may be broken down into annual instalments over several years. For the first two rounds of the competitive bidding mechanism, coverage of the financial liability related to CDs and CCDs shall be fully ensured with appropriations resulting from the proceeds of auctioning of allowances allocated to the Innovation Fund pursuant to paragraph 8. On the basis of a qualitative and quantitative assessment by the Commission of the financial risks arising from the implementation of CDs and CCDs, to be made after the conclusion of the first two rounds of the competitive bidding mechanism and each time it is necessary thereafter in accordance with the principle of prudence, whereby assets and profits are not to be overestimated and liabilities and losses are not to be underestimated, the Commission may, in accordance with the empowerment in the eighth subparagraph, decide to cover only part of the financial liability related to CDs and CCDs through the means referred to in the first subparagraph and the remaining part through other means. The Commission shall aim to limit the use of other means of coverage. Where the assessment leads to the conclusion that other means of coverage are necessary to realise the full potential of the CDs and CCDs, the Commission shall aim for a balanced mix of other means of coverage. By way of derogation from Article 210(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, the Commission shall determine the extent of the use of other means of coverage pursuant to the delegated act provided for in the eighth subparagraph of this paragraph. The remaining financial liability shall be sufficiently covered, having regard to the principles of Title X of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, if necessary, adapted to the specificities of CDs and CCDs, by way of derogation from Article 209(2), points (d) and (h), Article 210(1), Article 211(1), (2), (4) and (6), Articles 212, 213 and 214, Article 218(1) and Article 219(3) and (6) of that Regulation. Where applicable, other means of coverage, the provisioning rate and the necessary derogations shall be established in a delegated act provided for in the eighth subparagraph of this paragraph. The Commission shall not use more than 30 % of the proceeds of the auctioning of allowances allocated to the Innovation Fund pursuant to paragraph 8 for provisioning for CDs and CCDs. The provisioning rate shall be no lower than 50 % of the total financial liability borne by the Union budget for CDs and CCDs. When establishing the provisioning rate, the Commission shall take into account elements that may reduce the financial risks for the Union budget, beyond the appropriations available in the Innovation Fund, such as possible sharing of liability with Member States on a voluntary basis, or a possible re-insurance mechanism from the private sector. The Commission shall review the provisioning rate at least every three years from the date of application of the delegated act establishing it for the first time. In order to avoid speculative applications, access to competitive bidding may be made conditional on the payment by applicants of a deposit to be forfeited in the event of non-fulfilment of the contract. Such forfeited deposits shall be used for the Innovation Fund as external assigned revenue pursuant to Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046. Any contribution paid to the granting authority by a beneficiary in accordance with the terms of the CD or CCD where the reference price is higher than the strike price (‘reflows’) shall be used for the Innovation Fund as external assigned revenue pursuant to Article 21(5) of that Regulation. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 23 of this Directive to supplement this Directive in order to provide for and detail other means of coverage, if any, and, where applicable, the provisioning rate and the necessary additional derogations from Title X of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 as set out in the fourth subparagraph of this paragraph, and the rules on the operation of the competitive bidding mechanism, in particular in relation to deposits and reflows. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 23 to amend the fifth subparagraph of this paragraph by raising the limit of 30 % referred to in that subparagraph by no more than a total of 20 percentage points where necessary to respond to a demand for CDs and CCDs, taking into account the experience of the first rounds of the competitive bidding mechanism and considering the need to find an appropriate balance in the support from the Innovation Fund between grants and such contracts. Financial support from the Innovation Fund shall be proportionate to the policy objectives set out in this Article and shall not lead to undue distortions of the internal market. To this end, support shall only be granted to cover additional costs or investment risks that cannot be borne by investors under normal market conditions. 8b. 40 million allowances from the quantity which could otherwise be allocated for free pursuant to this Article, and 10 million allowances from the quantity which could otherwise be auctioned pursuant to Article 10 of this Directive shall be made available for the Social Climate Fund established by Regulation (EU) 2023/955 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 23 ). The Commission shall ensure that the allowances destined for the Social Climate Fund are auctioned in 2025 in accordance with the principles and modalities referred to in Article 10(4) of this Directive and the delegated act adopted in accordance with that Article. The revenues from that auctioning shall constitute external assigned revenue in accordance with Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, and shall be used in accordance with the rules applicable to the Social Climate Fund. 9. Greece, which had a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita at market prices below 60 % of the Union average in 2014, may claim, prior to the application of paragraph 7 of this Article, up to 25 million allowances from the maximum amount referred to in paragraph 5 of this Article which are not allocated for free by 31 December 2020, for the co-financing of up to 60 % of the decarbonisation of the electricity supply of islands within its territory. Article 10d(3) shall apply mutatis mutandis to such allowances. Allowances may be claimed where, due to restricted access to the international debt markets, a project aiming at the decarbonisation of the electricity supply of Greece's islands could otherwise not be realised and where the European Investment Bank (EIB) confirms the financial viability and socio-economic benefits of the project. 11. Subject to Article 10b, the amount of allowances allocated free of charge under paragraphs 4 to 7 of this Article in 2013 shall be 80 % of the quantity determined in accordance with the measures referred to in paragraph 1. Thereafter the free allocation shall decrease each year by equal amounts resulting in 30 % free allocation in 2020 ►M9 ————— ◄ . 19. No free allocation shall be given to an installation that has ceased operating. Installations for which the greenhouse gas emissions permit has expired or has been withdrawn and installations for which the operation or resumption of operation is technically impossible shall be considered to have ceased operations. 20. The level of free allocations given to installations whose operations have increased or decreased, as assessed on the basis of a rolling average of two years, by more than 15 % compared to the level initially used to determine the free allocation for the relevant period referred to in Article 11(1) shall, as appropriate, be adjusted. Such adjustments shall be carried out with allowances from, or by adding allowances to, the amount of allowances set aside in accordance with paragraph 7 of this Article. 21. In order to ensure the effective, non-discriminatory and uniform application of the adjustments and threshold referred to in paragraph 20 of this Article, to avoid any undue administrative burden, and to prevent manipulation or abuse of the adjustments to the allocation, the Commission may adopt implementing acts which define further arrangements for the adjustments. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 22a(2). 22. Where corrections to free allocations granted pursuant to Article 11(2) are necessary, such corrections shall be carried out with allowances from, or by adding allowances to, the amount of allowances set aside in accordance with paragraph 7 of this Article.

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Source: EUR-Lex CELLAR · retrieved 2026-08-09