European Energy Exchange AG (EEX) and Eurex have begun cooperating in emissions trading.
From 5 December 2007, Eurex participants get direct access to the EEX order book if they have been admitted by EEX for trading emission allowance products. Admitted Eurex members use their existing infrastructure.
The cooperation has the potential to create the largest international network for emissions trading, in which the two partners address approximately 600 trading member firms from the energy sector and financial institutions.
Seven new customers were connected for the launch on 5 December, meaning that a total of 104 clients are now admitted to trading EU allowance (EUA) futures on EEX. The first day of trading recorded a total of 130,000 EUA. Further participants and market makers, particularly from the US, are currently being connected.
The EUA futures already listed on EEX will be available for trading on the joint platform. E.ON Sales & Trading, Fortis Bank Global Markets and RWE Trading act as market makers that will place buy and sell orders in the system on a daily basis, thereby ensuring basic liquidity.
New trading hours for emissions trading were also introduced on 5 December. The emission allowances available on the EEX derivatives market are tradable from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. CET and can also be registered as OTC transactions until 6:00 p.m. CET. In order to promote trading, EEX has reduced its trading fee for exchange transactions in emission products.
The clearing houses of the two exchanges, European Commodity Clearing AG and Eurex Clearing AG, will cooperate in settling transactions to offer participants clearing. Participants can also continue to use their existing clearing relationships.
Currently, 12 ECC clearing members and 11 clearing members of Eurex Clearing AG offer clearing services for CO2 products. ECC organises the physical delivery of emission allowances.