Leipzig, 18 April 2011

The European Energy Exchange AG (EEX) will continue to hold the auctions for the EU emission allowances (EUA) issued by Germany in 2012. An extension contract was signed by EEX and the Federal Ministry of the Environment last Friday. Thus, the Ministry has used the option to extend the contractual relationship with EEX for the auctions in the year 2010 and 2011 by another year.

“We are pleased about the confidence placed in us and are looking forward to the further co-operation“, says Dr. Christoph Mura, Member of the Executive Board of EEX AG. “This early extension of the term of the contract confirms the quality of our auction platform. Moreover, we also see this as a recommendation with regard to the primary market auctions at a national and European level aimed at for the time after 2012.“

Since January 2010, EEX has carried out the German EUA Primary Market Auction on the Spot and Derivatives Market on a weekly basis. Every year, approximately 40 million EU emission allowances are auctioned-off on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Environment which corresponds to 10 percent of the total quantity allocated in Germany.

Secure trading and settlement solutions take the highest priority for EEX. For this reason, the exchange continuously reviews its processes and implements adjustments in close co-ordination with the trading participants and the Federal Ministry of the Environment as well as the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt). This e.g. includes the establishment of the separate settlement of European emission allowances (EUA) for transactions from the Primary Market Auction and from the Secondary Market, which was introduced on 1 March 2011.

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EEX develops, operates and connects secure, liquid and transparent markets. EEX holds 50 percent of the shares in EPEX Spot SE, which operates the Spot Market for Power for Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland.