BUCHAREST, 11/05/06 - The Netherlands is buying CO2 emission rights from Rumania. Economic Affairs Minister Laurens-Jan Brinkhorst and his Rumanian Environment counterpart Sulfina Barbuvan signed an agreement in Bucharest yesterday.

Under international agreements for reducing CO2 emissions, Rumania has been given more room for emissions of this greenhouse gas than the country believes it needs in the 2008-2012 period. The Netherlands wants to buy these "surplus" rights, in which there is an international market, according to Brinkhorst.

The declaration of intent signed yesterday envisages a quantity of CO2 that can run up to 10 million tonnes. How much money will be involved will depend on market developments, but it will be tens of millions of euros. Rumania is promising to use the money for energy-saving and renewable energy. The intention is that Dutch companies will be involved in this.

Brinkhorst is accompanied in Rumania by a trade mission of 35 companies. Earlier, the Netherlands had already concluded an agreement with this country representing a reduction of 5 million tonnes of CO2, involving an amount of 26 million euros. This money went among other things on urban heating and energy-saving electricity plants in the East European country.