With the ending of the three-year test period for the EU-wide trading in carbon dioxide emissions rights on December 31, 2007 begins the first obligation period of 2008-2012. In preparation for the first allocation period, as in the three-year test period, a national allocation arises for Germany in which the emission rights for all affected sectors are determined. An overview is provided of the planned basic changes. The discussion covers introduction; accentuated obligations for carbon dioxide reduction (continuing facilities; new facilities); and conclusions. By doing away with numerous special regulations and ex-post corrections in National Allocation Plan (NAP) 2 market distorting mechanisms do not apply so that in the future a more efficient carbon dioxide diminution starts. According to NAP 1, 58 rule combinations were possible so that the system simplifies with NAP 2, leading to a correspondingly less management expense in the affected companies. By increasing the average diminution goals for existing facilities from about 3% (NAP 1) to the current 15% (NAP 2) with respect to the base period, a disproportionately large obligation is imposed on the energy sector. This burden on old facilities has a positive effect on investments for new facilities although the release from diminution requirements for these facilities upon application of the transference rule is reduced from 18 to 14 yr. In the NAP 2 draft as before with respect to the technologyspecific standards of value the incentive is reduced to change from coal to natural gas as fuel. From the stance of costs and security of supply is it thereby advantageous to have a considerable part of electricity generation to be effected by coal. Sweden takes another tack, where with 265 g carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour a very low fuel-independent standard value was determined for specific emissions. This means that new market participants in each case must buy certificates for the operation of their facility. Photograph, table, and references.