The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020

[F1 CHAPTER 1 U.K. Opening accounts

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 5A inserted (31.12.2020) by The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/1557), arts. 2(1), 37

Central accounts U.K.

9.— (1) The UK ETS authority may open accounts in the name of the UK ETS authority for the purposes of the UK ETS, in particular—

(a) a total quantity account (for the creation of allowances under article 18);

(b) an allocation account (to hold allowances to be allocated under Part 4A);

(c) a new entrants' reserve account (to keep track of the new entrants' reserve referred to in article 34G);

(d) an auction account (to hold allowances to be auctioned under the Auctioning Regulations);

(e) a market stability mechanism account (to hold excess allowances unsold at auctions under the Auctioning Regulations);

(f) a deletion account (to hold allowances deleted under paragraph 23);

(g) a surrender account (to hold allowances surrendered under paragraph 24);

(h) one or more general holding accounts (to hold allowances transferred from accounts before closure under paragraph 30).

(2) An account held by the UK ETS authority is a “central account”.

Auction delivery account U.K.

10.— (1) Where a recognised auction platform is appointed to auction allowances under the Auctioning Regulations, the UK ETS authority must, as soon as reasonably practicable, instruct the registry administrator to open an auction delivery account in the name of the recognised auction platform.

(2) The recognised auction platform must as soon as reasonably practicable after appointment under the Auctioning Regulations submit to the registry administrator—

(a) the charge for opening the account set out in the charging scheme published under article 36A;

(b) applications under paragraph 16 to appoint at least 2 individuals as operational authorised representatives for the account with account permissions such that they are together able to propose and approve all types of action in relation to the account.

(3) The registry administrator may, by notice to the UK ETS authority or the recognised auction platform, require the UK ETS authority or the recognised auction platform to provide, in the form specified in the notice, such information as the registry administrator considers necessary to open the account.

(4) As soon as reasonably practicable after receiving the charge required under sub-paragraph (2)(a) and any information required under sub-paragraph (3) and at least 2 operational authorised representatives with the account permissions referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(b) have been appointed for the account, the registry administrator must open the account.

(5) In this paragraph, “recognised auction platform” means a recognised investment exchange in relation to which a recognition order under the Recognised Auction Platform Regulations 2011 is in force.

(6) In sub-paragraph (5), “recognised investment exchange” means an investment exchange in relation to which a recognition order under section 290 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 is in force.

Operator holding accounts U.K.

11.— (1) This paragraph applies where the regulator—

(a) issues a greenhouse gas emissions permit for an installation under paragraph 3 of Schedule 6;

(b) grants an application for the partial transfer of a greenhouse gas emissions permit under paragraph 9 of Schedule 6;

(c) converts an installation's hospital or small emitter permit into a greenhouse gas emissions permit under paragraph 24(2) or 26(3) of Schedule 7; or

(d) converts an installation's permit (within the meaning of GGETSR 2012) into a greenhouse gas emissions permit under paragraph 1(4)(a) of Schedule 11.

(2) The regulator must, as soon as reasonably practicable—

(a) instruct the registry administrator to open an operator holding account for the installation in the name of the operator of the installation or, where sub-paragraph (1)(b) applies, for the installation consisting of the transferred units (as defined in paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 6) in the name of the new operator (as defined in paragraph 7(1) of that Schedule); or

(b) inform the registry administrator that a new operator holding account is not required.

(3) Where sub-paragraph (2)(a) applies, the registry administrator may, by notice to the operator or the regulator, require the operator or the regulator to provide, in the form specified in the notice, such information as the registry administrator considers necessary to—

(a) open the account; and

(b) assess whether the operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account.

(4) As soon as reasonably practicable after receiving an instruction under sub-paragraph (2)(a) and any information required under sub-paragraph (3), the registry administrator must assess whether the operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account and—

(a) if the registry administrator considers that the operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account, open the account; or

(b) if the registry administrator does not consider that the operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account, open, and immediately suspend, the account, imposing the restriction set out in paragraph 25(2)(b) or (c) (or both).

(5) The registry administrator must give notice to the operator and the regulator of a decision to open and suspend an account under sub-paragraph (4)(b).

(6) A notice under sub-paragraph (5) must include the reason for the suspension unless the registry administrator considers that its inclusion might prejudice the investigation or prosecution of an offence under the law of any part of the United Kingdom or a country or territory outside the United Kingdom or would be contrary to the interests of national security.

(7) Where, after a suspension under sub-paragraph (4)(b), the registry administrator subsequently considers that the operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account, the registry administrator must, as soon as reasonably practicable—

(a) lift the suspension;

(b) give notice to the operator and the regulator that the suspension has been lifted.

Transfer of operator holding accounts U.K.

12.— (1) Where the regulator grants an application for the transfer (other than a partial transfer) of an installation's greenhouse gas emissions permit under paragraph 9 of Schedule 6, the regulator must, as soon as reasonably practicable—

(a) instruct the registry administrator to transfer the operator holding account for the installation held in the name of the transferring operator (as defined in paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 6) to the new operator (as defined in that sub-paragraph);

(b) instruct the registry administrator to—

(i) open an operator holding account for the installation in the name of the new operator; and

(ii) close the operator holding account held in the name of the transferring operator [F2 (but see sub-paragraph (8))]; or

(c) inform the registry administrator that no action under paragraph (a) or (b) is required.

(2) Where paragraph (1)(a) or (b) applies, the registry administrator may, by notice to the new operator or the regulator, require the new operator or the regulator to provide, in the form specified in the notice, such information as the registry administrator considers necessary to—

(a) transfer or, as the case may be, open the account; and

(b) assess whether the new operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account.

(3) As soon as reasonably practicable after receiving an instruction under sub-paragraph (1)(a) or (b) and any information required under sub-paragraph (2), the registry administrator must assess whether the new operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account and—

(a) if the registry administrator considers that the new operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account, transfer or, as the case may be, open the account; or

(b) if the registry administrator does not consider that the new operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account—

(i) transfer or, as the case may be, open the account; and

(ii) immediately suspend the account, imposing the restriction set out in paragraph 25(2)(b) or (c) (or both).

(4) The registry administrator must give notice to the new operator and the regulator of a decision to transfer or, as the case may be, open and suspend an account under sub-paragraph (3)(b).

(5) A notice under sub-paragraph (4) must include the reason for the suspension unless the registry administrator considers that its inclusion might prejudice the investigation or prosecution of an offence under the law of any part of the United Kingdom or a country or territory outside the United Kingdom or would be contrary to the interests of national security.

(6) Where, after a suspension under sub-paragraph (3)(b), the registry administrator subsequently considers that the new operator is a fit and proper person to hold an operator holding account, the registry administrator must, as soon as reasonably practicable—

(a) lift the suspension;

(b) give notice to the new operator and the regulator that the suspension has been lifted.

(7) Where the registry administrator receives an instruction to transfer an operator holding account under sub-paragraph (1)(a), no action may be performed in relation to the account until the registry administrator complies with sub-paragraph (3).

[F3 (8) Where the grant of the application results in a merger (as defined in Article 2(17) of the Free Allocation Regulation) and the transfer date (as defined in paragraph 9(6) of Schedule 6 to this Order) is on or after 31st March in a scheme year, the registry administrator must not close the transferring operator’s operator holding account in accordance with an instruction under sub-paragraph (1)(b)(ii) of this paragraph until any transfers or returns of allowances required to be made from the operator holding account by notice under article 34U or 34V are made.]

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in Sch. 5A para. 12(1)(b)(ii) inserted (1.1.2023) by The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/1173), arts. 2, 15(2)(a)

F3 Sch. 5A para. 12(8) inserted (1.1.2023) by The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/1173), arts. 2, 15(2)(b)

Aircraft operator holding accounts U.K.

13.— (1) Where the regulator issues an emissions monitoring plan to a person under article 29, the regulator must, as soon as reasonably practicable, instruct the registry administrator to open an aircraft operator holding account in the name of the person.

(2) The registry administrator may, by notice to the person or the regulator, require the person or the regulator to provide, in the form specified in the notice, such information as the registry administrator considers necessary to—

(a) open the account; and

(b) assess whether the person is a fit and proper person to hold an aircraft operator holding account.

(3) As soon as reasonably practicable after receiving an instruction under sub-paragraph (1) and any information required under sub-paragraph (2), the registry administrator must assess whether the person is a fit and proper person to hold an aircraft operator holding account and—

(a) if the registry administrator considers that the person is a fit and proper person to hold an aircraft operator holding account, open the account; or

(b) if the registry administrator does not consider that the person is a fit and proper person to hold an aircraft operator holding account, open, and immediately suspend, the account imposing the restriction set out in paragraph 25(2)(b) or (c) (or both).

(4) The registry administrator must give notice to the person and the regulator of a decision to open and suspend an account under sub-paragraph (3)(b).

(5) A notice under sub-paragraph (4) must include the reason for the suspension unless the registry administrator considers that its inclusion might prejudice the investigation or prosecution of an offence under the law of any part of the United Kingdom or a country or territory outside the United Kingdom or would be contrary to the interests of national security.

(6) Where, after a suspension under sub-paragraph (3)(b), the registry administrator subsequently considers that the person is a fit and proper person to hold an aircraft operator holding account, the registry administrator must, as soon as reasonably practicable—

(a) lift the suspension;

(b) give notice to the person and the regulator that the suspension has been lifted.

Trading accounts U.K.

14.— (1) Any person may apply to the registry administrator to open a trading account on terms agreed by the registry administrator.

(2) An application must be accompanied by—

(a) the charge for the application set out in the charging scheme published under article 36A;

(b) applications under paragraph 16 to appoint at least 2 individuals as operational authorised representatives for the account with account permissions such that they are together able to propose and approve all types of action in relation to the account.

(3) After receiving an application, the registry administrator may, by notice to the applicant, require the applicant to provide, in the form specified in the notice, such information as the registry administrator considers necessary to determine the application.

(4) As soon as reasonably practicable after receiving the application and any information required under sub-paragraph (3), the registry administrator must assess whether the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a trading account and—

(a) if the registry administrator considers that the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a trading account and at least 2 operational authorised representatives with the account permissions referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(b) have been appointed for the account, open the account; or

(b) if either—

(i) the registry administrator does not consider that the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a trading account; or

(ii) at least 2 operational authorised representatives with the account permissions referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(b) have not been appointed for the account,

give notice to the applicant that the application to open the account is refused.

(5) A notice under sub-paragraph (4)(b) must include the reason for the refusal unless the registry administrator considers that its inclusion might prejudice the investigation or prosecution of an offence under the law of any part of the United Kingdom or a country or territory outside the United Kingdom or would be contrary to the interests of national security.]