Datum: 07.04.2011

The C02 emissions certificates transferred illegally out of the Austrian registry on 10 January 2011 were returned to Austria. These 237,100 certificates are the ones that had been frozen on a Swedish account. The transfer was executed by a Swedish court order, which not only imposed the legal confiscation, but also their return to Austria. The court order entered into force on 5 April 2011.

In this cyber attack, 488,141 certificates were illegally transferred to accounts in Sweden and Liechtenstein. The certificates frozen in Liechtenstein will probably be returned to Austria in the next few days. Many C02 registries in Europe were attacked and certificates were stolen electronically from several registries. The swift reaction of ECRA and of the Austrian Environment Agency made it possible to freeze the illegally transferred C02 certificates on the accounts in Sweden and Liechtenstein within a few hours. Due to this cyber attack all registries in the EU were closed and trading in certificates was temporarily suspended. After the EU Commission tightened security regulations drastically and following intensive technical security checks, the registries successively went online again in the past few weeks.

In 2005, the system of registries was installed within the scope of the Kyoto Protocol and the European Union Emissions Trading System as a type of accounting system for Europe and the signatory states.

The Austrian Emissions Certificate Registry

The Austrian Emissions Certificate Registry is operated on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management jointly by Umweltbundesamt GmbH (Austrian Environment Agency) and ECRA GmbH. As registry office, the Austrian Environment Agency has overall responsibility and provides the technical management of the registry. The Austrian Environment Agency acts as contact point for national and international authorities. ECRA GmbH acts as Registry Service Office for handling the operations of the emissions certificates registry and is the contact and service office for account holders.

ECRA’s ownership structure reflects the companies and institutions involved. The companies represented include smart technologies, Oesterreichische Kontrollbank, Investkreditbank AG, Porr Infrastruktur Ges.m.b.H, Association of Chemicals Industry, Verbund, Association of the Stone and Ceramics Industry, Wien Energie GmbH, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. Additionally, the Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management, the Ministry of Economy and Labour as well as the Ministry of Finance are on the supervisory board.

For inquiries, please contact:
Mag. (FH) Romana Kichler +43 1 3190701-53 romana.kichler@cismogroup.com
Mag. Theresia Nestlang +43 1 3190701-58 theresia.nestlang@cismogroup.com
ECRA Emission Certificate Registry Austria GmbH
Alserbachstraße 14-16, 1090 Wien