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In the last decade, EU countries have led the
global shift toward renewable energy and set up the world's
largest emissions trading system to price carbon and reduce
reliance on more polluting fuels.
However, the bloc's rules on energy taxation have not changed
for more than 15 years.
They are "outdated and poorly adapted to climate change
challenges and developments in energy policy at EU level,"
according to a document which EU finance ministers will discuss
at meetings in Helsinki on Friday and Saturday.
Arriving at the meeting, German finance minister Olaf Scholz
said "drastic steps" were needed to counter climate change and
urged an international approach on the matter.
"We are in the process of finding out how we can limit CO2
consumption in agriculture, small businesses or transport,"
Scholz said.
The bloc's top economic commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told
reporters that options included a carbon tax and an overhaul of
energy taxation.
Possible measures in a document prepared by the Finnish
presidency of the EU included higher minimum tax rates on
energy, fossil fuel levies and the end of waivers for the air
and sea transport sectors.
Ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions by at least 50%
by 2030 are part of the agenda of the new European Commission
which will take office in November.
A confidential work program prepared in July by Commission
officials before the appointment of the commission's
president-designate Ursula von der Leyen envisages legislative
proposals to end tax exemptions for air and sea transport by
early 2020 and a review of minimum tax rates on energy products
by the end of next year.
(Reporting by Peter Maushagen and Francesco Guarascio; editing
by Darren Schuettler and Jason Neely)
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