Fintech PR
New EU Carbon Emissions Tariff Will Significantly Impact Businesses, Highlights Report from The Conference Board
BRUSSELS, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — European importers face rising prices and administrative bottlenecks as the EU’s new carbon emissions tariff comes into effect, as detailed in a new report from The Conference Board. The report comes in the lead-up to the first enforcement phase (starting October 1) of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a system that will levy imports of carbon-intensive goods, closing the price gap with EU-made products.
Navigating Europe’s Carbon Tariff: What is CBAM and What Does it Mean for Business? surveyed European Members of The Conference Board on how they expect CBAM to affect their companies. 83 percent of respondents–primarily senior procurement and sustainability executives–anticipate prices will rise, and 75 percent expect CBAM to influence their buying choices going forward.
“Our Europe-based Members are clear that implementing CBAM will increase prices of carbon-intensive products, possibly with knock-on effects for consumers,” said Sara Murray, Managing Director, International, The Conference Board. “Our latest insights will help our Members better understand their responsibilities and the challenges they must prepare for over the coming 18 months.”
Among the report’s key insights:
Prices for regulated products are expected to rise immediately from the start of implementation, years before the first tariffs are collected:
- Under the first phase of CBAM, importers of products in six regulated categories—iron & steel, cement, fertilizers, aluminum, electricity generation, and hydrogen—will have to begin reporting carbon emissions to EU authorities.
- Limited administrative capacity in some EU countries means that CBAM’s price impact will likely be felt even before the charging period for the tariff—likely around €100 per tonne of carbon emissions—comes into effect in January 2026.
Lack of verification capacity may create bottlenecks at key locations:
- Europe faces a serious shortage of qualified ‘verifiers’ who check importers’ declared carbon emissions.
- Belgium—the EU’s second-largest steel and iron importer and home to Antwerp, its second-largest port—has only two qualified verifiers.
- Six EU member states, including Ireland, have no verifiers at all.
Uneven customs capacity across the EU poses additional challenges for CBAM implementation—putting the onus on Brussels to take action:
- Varying levels of customs efficiency among different member states are likely to present another problem for businesses.
- Italy, for example, is the EU’s largest iron and steel importer, but its customs declaration process is lengthy—meaning that, with CBAM, importers may experience even longer queues to get their goods through Italian ports.
Current attempts to ease the administrative burden are likely to fall short:
- The EU is expected to relax some accreditation rules for verifiers, but such measures may not address the problem as many verifiers are already operating at capacity.
- It is already quite common for verifiers to decline new requests to audit European-based manufacturers’ emissions.
“Without fast action to address the administrative problems that importers will begin to face from next week, there is a risk that CBAM acts as a drag on the European economy,” said Anuj Saush, European ESG Center Leader at The Conference Board. “The six categories of goods that are regulated under the legislation account for 4.95 percent of all EU imports, valued at €133.21 billion. Companies importing goods into countries like Belgium, Italy, and Ireland should take a careful look at how they will meet demand over the next few months.“
Effects will vary widely depending on the origin of imports:
- CBAM has been designed to close the price gap between imports of carbon-intensive goods from non-EU countries without carbon-pricing schemes and EU-produced goods.
- Exports of these goods to the EU from countries that already have carbon pricing systems may not have to pay the fee, depending on how their carbon price compares to the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme.
About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.ConferenceBoard.org
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/new-eu-carbon-emissions-tariff-will-significantly-impact-businesses-highlights-report-from-the-conference-board-301940519.html
Fintech PR
Get a firsthand experience of the charisma of Xi
BEIJING, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A report from Poeple’s Daily:
In May 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Hungary. During this historic visit, leaders of the two countries announced the elevation of bilateral relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era, injecting renewed powerful impetus into cooperation between the two countries.
As the interpreter for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during his meeting with President Xi, Simon Adrienn had the opportunity to again gain a firsthand glimpse into the charisma of President Xi as the leader of a major country.
In 2009, Xi, the then vice president of China, visited Hungary. Simon accompanied him as an interpreter for the first time to explore a memorial hall with rich Hungarian ethnic characteristics. “As I provided explanations, Xi listened attentively, showing a genuine interest in Hungarian history and culture. I could sense that he was a leader of great knowledge and insight”.
Since then, she has worked as an interpreter during meetings between the leaders of Hungary and China on numerous occasions. In her memories, Prime Minister Orban and President Xi are both candid and wise leaders who know about each other and trust each other. “President Xi’s clear articulation makes my job relatively easy. He is approachable, and respects and treats every staff member equally. In my view, this exemplifies the true essence of a great leader of a major country.”
Before kicking off this state visit to Hungary, President Xi published a signed article titled “Embarking on a Golden Voyage in China–Hungary Relations” in the Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet. The article provided a comprehensive overview of the successful practices and positive outcomes in the development of bilateral relations over the past 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Simon translated the article into Hungarian. She said this experience was a valuable learning process, allowing her to gain a deeper understanding of President Xi’s views and thoughts.
In fact, this was not the first time that she translated President Xi’s books and articles. She once participated in the translation of President Xi’s book “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China“. In her eyes, President Xi drew upon numerous Chinese historical and cultural references in the book, prompting her to delve into the materials to identify the most suitable expressions. The process of translation provided her with profound intellectual enlightenment.
She deeply admires President Xi’s statement “Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations.” As Hungary-China relations navigate a “golden channel,” closer people-to-people ties stand as a vital cornerstone. The Hungarian and Chinese people share many similarities, both valuing family harmony. The Hungarian people hold a profound appreciation for Chinese culture, evident through the presence of multiple Confucius Institutes, numerous traditional Chinese medicine clinics, and bilingual schools in Hungary that nurture a plethora of young talents for cultural exchanges between the two nations. Hungarian Chinese communities have also made substantial contributions to fostering deeper friendship between the two countries. People-to-people and cultural exchanges continue to strengthen, laying a solid foundation for cooperation between the two nations.
In the 1980s, student exchanges between Hungary and China began, and Simon was one of the beneficiaries. Her connection with China dated back to the third grade of primary school. At that time, she read many Chinese folk stories in the library. Upon graduating from high school, she seized the opportunity to study in China and spent six wonderful years there which had a significant impact on her life. Even today, she still enjoys reading Chinese folk stories and children’s literature. She has translated them into Hungarian, and organized Hungarian children to read them. she is always learning and improving, hoping to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples through her work and continue to write new stories of friendly exchanges with her Chinese friends.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/get-a-firsthand-experience-of-the-charisma-of-xi-302339216.html
Fintech PR
WSPN Appoints Former EY Global Chief Innovation Officer Jeff Wong as Independent Director
SINGAPORE, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Worldwide Stablecoin Payment Network (WSPN), a leading stablecoin infrastructure company, announces the appointment of Jeff Wong as Independent Director. Mr. Wong brings over 25 years of experience in technology innovation and enterprise transformation to WSPN. He most recently served as EY’s Global Chief Innovation Officer from 2015 to 2024, where he spearheaded the firm’s global innovation initiatives and established EY’s advanced technology labs focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and Web3.
Prior to EY, Mr. Wong held leadership roles at eBay and JPMorgan Partners. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Forbes Technology Council, and the founding Chair of Asia Society’s Technology and Innovation Council, helping drive the innovation and transformation agenda. He was also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Innovation Ecosystems. He has previously served on the Oxford Foundry Board at Oxford University and the Advisory Board for AI4All. Mr. Wong is a recipient of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business award and an honoree of the A100 List by Gold House, recognizing individuals with Asian Pacific heritage who have made a significant impact on American culture and society.
“Joining WSPN at this pivotal moment in the stablecoin industry is incredibly exciting,” said Mr. Wong. “I look forward to contributing my experience in emerging technologies and enterprise transformation to help WSPN build the next generation of digital payment infrastructure.”
“Jeff’s appointment represents a significant strategic addition to WSPN,” said Raymond Yuan, Founder and CEO of WSPN. “His deep expertise in innovation management, enterprise transformation, and emerging technologies, combined with his leadership experience at global institutions, will be invaluable as we accelerate our market expansion and global development.”
About WSPN
WSPN is a leading provider of next-generation stablecoin infrastructure, committed to building a more secure, efficient, and transparent payment solution for the global economy. Their flagship product, WUSD stablecoin, is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar and aims to optimize secure digital payments for Web3 users. WSPN’s Stablecoin 2.0 approach prioritizes user-centricity, community governance, and accessibility, paving the way for widespread stablecoin adoption.
Learn more: www.wspn.io | X | LinkedIn
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Fintech PR
Sinopec Completes Construction of China’s Largest Petrochemical Industrial Base
Refining Capacity of the Base Surpasses 50 Million Tons per Year
NINGBO, China, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation‘s (HKG: 0386, “Sinopec”) recently announced the mechanical completion of the second-phase expansion and advanced materials project at its Zhenhai Refinery. This milestone sets new benchmarks for innovation, smart manufacturing, and energy efficiency in large-scale projects. The refinery’s capacity has now been upgraded to 40 million tons per year, contributing to the Zhejiang Ningbo Petrochemical Industrial Base surpassing a total refining capacity of 50 million tons annually. The achievement solidifies its position as China’s largest, most advanced, and globally competitive petrochemical industrial base.
Located in the Yangtze River Delta, a key downstream product consumption hub, the Zhejiang Ningbo Petrochemical Industrial Base plays a vital role in Sinopec’s value chain. The second-phase expansion and advanced materials project, with a total investment of CNY 41.6 billion, incorporates 18 production units, including atmospheric distillation, catalytic cracking, polypropylene, and propane dehydrogenation units. By emphasizing chemical-focused processes, the project creates multiple high-value-added supply chains.
The facility’s expanded production capacity supports the development of high-end polyolefins, advanced materials, and specialty chemicals. It is expected to provide approximately 8 million tons of petrochemical products annually, significantly boosting the overall capacity of supply chains for industries such as automotive, home appliances, and textiles in the region. This expansion is forecast to generate trillions of yuan in upstream and downstream industrial value.
The project achieved remarkable progress in technological innovation and sustainability. Highlights include:
- Localization of 10 core technologies, including the world’s highest-load vertical labyrinth compressor.
- Extensive deployment of smart technologies, enabling simultaneous delivery of digital and physical factories.
- Integration of a fully localized industrial operating system and a self-developed industrial internet platform to enhance decision-making and management.
- Implementation of comprehensive energy-saving measures, achieving an overall reduction in energy consumption of 11.7%.
- Safety and quality were paramount during construction, with over 90 million consecutive safe man-hours recorded and a 100% quality pass rate for all units, setting a new industry benchmark.
Zhenhai Refinery, Sinopec’s largest integrated refining and chemical enterprise, boasts an ethylene production capacity of 2.2 million tons per year. It is also the only enterprise in China consistently ranked in the top performance group of the Solomon Global Ethylene Performance Evaluation.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sinopec-completes-construction-of-chinas-largest-petrochemical-industrial-base-302339157.html
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