Brussels, 17/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is not optimistic about the possibility of reaching unanimity on energy taxation, at the meeting of the Ecofin Council this Tuesday in Brussels. It appears the member states reached agreement on two of the three points in suspense (see EUROPE of 15 February, p.8), but are still struggling to find a compromise on exemptions for diesel oil, said the spokesperson for the taxation Commissioner, Frits Bolkestein, on Monday.
Germany, and Austria more so, are opposed to the exemptions requested by Italy. France has accepted that tax breaks for haulage companies are to be withdrawn progressively over the next two years, and that excise on diesel will be no lower than 380 euros per thousand litres from 2003 onwards. Italy refuses to accept this degression. It has requested to be allowed to continue to reimburse excise to haulage companies at today's rate, which is 43 euros per 1000 litres for lorries of 3.5 tonnes to 11.5 tonnes, and 60 euros for lorries of over 11.5 tonnes. Rome is sticking to its guns, believing that this exemption will make good the losses registered by its hauliers since the closure of the Mont-Blanc tunnels.