Energy Taxation Directive

EESC opinion: Energy Taxation Directive

Key points:

 

The Committee supports the efforts of the European Commission because they:

  • encourage environmentally responsible behaviour,
  • are favourable to energy efficiency,
  • reintegrate energyintensive industrial sectors which were previously excluded from application and
  • support the Europe 2020 strategy.

 

The EESC regrets that the recast ETD is not more ambitious and coherent:

  • Exemptions and derogations in the text are designed to please certain Member States or not displease others.
  • Electricity is not subject to this alignment with other energy sources.
  • The price signal given by taxation is not getting across when it comes to heating fuels.
  • (However, one must take into consideration the inevitable heating needs of consumers.)
  • Other sectors (such as agriculture, construction, public transport etc.) remain wholly or partly exempt and it is difficult to see any coherence in all these exemptions.
  • No recommendation regarding the use by the Member States of all or part of the revenues is made.