Emission allowances, emission-reduction certificates and attestations (from Switzerland and companies that participate in emissions trading) can be recorded in the Swiss Emissions Trading Registry (EHR). The FOEN uses the EHR to check whether companies have complied with their statutory obligations and to auction off emission allowances, while also ensuring that the national reduction target is being met.
The Swiss EHR is an online accounting system. It ensures that the issuance, holding, transfer, acquisition, cancellation and surrender of units are accurately recorded. The EHR is similar to a journal: changes are documented in it. All units exist only in electronic form. However, the trading is actually organised by the private sector.
Every transaction involving units under the Kyoto Protocol is reviewed and approved by the International Transaction Log (ITL) of the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC).
Transactions for all other units (Swiss and European emission allowances, attestations) are reviewed by the Supplementary Transaction Log (STL) in Switzerland.
Link with the EU emissions trading registry
The agreement on the linking of the Swiss and European Union (EU) emissions trading schemes (ETSs) entered into force on 1 January 2020, resulting in the mutual recognition of Swiss and European emission allowances. To operationalise this link, the emissions trading registries of Switzerland and the EU need to be linked electronically. Initially, the registry link will perform transfers between the Swiss and EU ETSs only at set times.
From the beginning of 2023, transactions between the emissions trading registries will be carried out every Tuesday and Thursday with the exception of the following dates:
Monday, 02.01.2023 until Friday, 06.01.2023 (1st calendar week 2023)
Tuesday, 21.02.2023 (Carnival)
Thursday, 06.04.2023 (Maundy Thursday)
Tuesday, 09.05.2023 (Europe Day)
Thursday, 18.05.2023 (Ascension Day)
Tuesday, 01.08.2023 (Swiss National Day)
Tuesday, 15.08.2023 (Assumption Day)
Thursday, 02.11.2023 (All Souls' Day)
Monday, 25.12.2023 to Friday, 29.12.2023 (52nd calendar week 2023)
Any changes to the transfer dates in 2023 will be published at least five working days in advance, notwithstanding short-term notices on changes due to unforeseen temporary closures of the registries (e.g. force majeure, technical and/or security issues). Unless specifically announced, cancelled transfer dates will not be rescheduled.
Transactions within the Swiss ETS are executed as before; i.e. they are not subject to the transfer data listed above. Similarly, transactions involving units issued under the Kyoto Protocol (e.g. CERs) between the Swiss and EU ETSs will be carried out as before, since these transactions will continue to take place via the International Transaction Log (ITL) of the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC).
Participants
Operator Holding Accounts: ETS participants that are required to have an account in the Swiss Emissions Trading Registry between 2013 and 2020 in order to fulfil their commitments under the CO2 Act can submit an online application to open an account in the Swiss Emissions Trading Registry. This applies to installation operators and aircraft operators that are not administered by a foreign authority.
Importers and manufacturers of fossil motor fuels can also apply online to open an operator holding account in the Swiss EHR in order to fulfil their commitments under the CO2 Act.
The fees for account opening and annual account maintenance fees are imposed in accordance with Article 4 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FOEN Fees Ordinance (CHF 140 per hour).
Basically, the following charges may be assumed:
Time expended |
Costs |
|
|---|---|---|
Account Opening (once) |
2 hrs. |
CHF 280 |
Account management (annually) |
1 hr. |
CHF 140 |
Personal holding accounts: In addition to ETS participants that are required to have an account in the Swiss EHR in order to fulfil their commitments under the CO2 Act, other actors can open an account in the EHR to participate in emissions trading. Businesses and individuals who want to trade emission allowances, emission-reduction certificates and attestations can submit an online application to open a personal account in the Swiss EHR. Installation and aircraft operators participating in the EU ETS and the other companies from the European Economic Area (EEA) admitted to bid in auctions in the EU that wish to take part in the auction must also apply online to open a personal account in the Swiss EHR.
The fees for account opening and the annual account maintenance fees are imposed in accordance with Article 4 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FOEN Fees Ordinance (CHF 140 per hour).
Basically, the following charges may be assumed:
Time expended |
Costs |
|
|---|---|---|
Account Opening (once) |
4 hrs. |
CHF 560 |
Account management (annually) |
3 hrs. |
CHF 420 |
Auctions
The FOEN auctions off Swiss emission allowances via the EHR several times a year. Emission allowances for installations (CHU) and emission allowances for aircraft (CHUA) are auctioned. The auction takes place in a competitive process in the form of closed unit-price auctions with only one round of bidding.
Installation and aircraft operators participating in the Swiss and EU ETSs and companies from the EEA admitted to bid in auctions in the EU are eligible to take part in the auctions.
Detailed information about the auctions can be found in the fact sheet on auctions and in the General Auction Terms and Conditions (available under ‘Documents’). The dates, auction volumes, maximum and minimum bid quantities of the next auction and the results of the auctions already carried out are published in the Swiss EHR.
Further information
Links
UNFCCC: Registry systems under the Kyoto Protocol
with links to all the national registries and the CDM Registry.
Documents
Swiss Emissions Trading Registry: General Terms and Conditions (PDF, 52 kB, 21.09.2022)valid from 21.09.2022
General Terms and Conditions of the Auctions (PDF, 200 kB, 17.10.2022)valid from 17.10.2022
Fact sheet: Auction of emission allowances (PDF, 644 kB, 17.10.2022)valid from 17.10.2022
Legislation
Gebührenverordnung BAFU (GebV-BAFU)
(in German, French or Italian) Ordinance on Fees charged by the Federal Office for the Environment (FeeO-FOEN)
Last modification 17.08.2023
