At the end of last year, Bulgaria lodged an appeal with the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice (ECJ) against a European Commission decision dated October 26, 2007 on the national plan for distribution of greenhouse gas emission allowances for 2007 and for the 2008-2012 period, Bulgaria's Permanent Representation to the EU said Thursday.

Approached by BTA, Barbara Helfferich, Spokesperson for EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, said the EC Environment Directorate General had not been formally informed by Bulgaria of the legal action, even though they were aware of such plans. At her first news briefing for 2008, Helferrich suggested that information be sought from the ECJ which, however, is still in
vacation.

In October, the European Commission approved 42.3 million t of carbon dioxide emissions for Bulgaria for 2008-2012, or 37.4 per cent less than the quantity proposed by Bulgaria. On December 21, the Government Information Service said that the appeal before the Court of First Instance would argue that the Commission decision violated procedural law, substantive law an basic principles of Community law.

Unless the allowances are increased by some 15 million tonnes, the prices of heat power and electricity in Bulgaria may rise and some manufacturing operations may have to be closed down, which would lead to an increased import of a number of goods, pushing up the trade deficit and unemployment and resulting in other adverse economic developments, Bulgarian experts note.