Open letter on protecting the Social Climate Fund, following the suggestion to postpone ETS2

Forty-three civil society organisations have written to the European Commission expressing deep concern over proposals to delay ETS2 by one year. We warn that postponing the scheme would undermine climate action, raise prices for households in 2028, and cause Member States to lose €50 billion in revenues; putting the Social Climate Fund (SCF) at risk.

The signatories call on the Commission to safeguard and expand the SCF by ensuring it starts at full size in 2026, requiring timely and ambitious Social Climate Plans, and encouraging progressive national fiscal policies. We stress that the SCF must become a permanent, revenue-linked instrument to protect vulnerable households and maintain public support for the transition.