The Netherlands will write to the European Commission to ask the institution to take legislative initiatives for the taxation of the air sector. They hope that all European Environment Ministers will be able to sign the letter, the delegation said on Wednesday 26 June in Luxembourg at the Environment Council meeting.
This announcement was made by the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Netherlands, Ronald van Roeden. Following his country's conference in The Hague on 20-21 June on carbon pricing and CO2 emission reduction, he argued before ministers for a coordinated European approach to aviation taxation, which may involve non-Member States neighbouring the EU, and also for a carbon floor price for electricity production (see EUROPE 12281/20). The subject was discussed informally, under ‘other items’.
Luxembourg's Environment Minister, Carole Dieschbourg (Greens), immediately indicated that she could sign such a letter. At the March Environment Council (see EUROPE 12208/8), her country had already supported the idea of introducing European VAT on airline tickets or kerosene taxation to help the EU fight climate change. She is the only minister to have spoken, but other ministers could also support this Dutch initiative, such as the French and Belgian ministers. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)