: EU to hit aviation with tax on kerosene and other polluting fuels
Getty ImagesThe European Commission is due to announce this week a revamp of its fuel taxes in a bid to meet its ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions, according to several reports.The exemption of aviation from current European Union fuel taxes “is not coherent with the present climate challenges and policies,” the Commission states in a draft document cited by several media.The measure to tax heavily polluting industries such as airlines or shipping is part of a package designed to help Europe reduce its emissions by 55% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels.The minimum tax for polluting fuels would be introduced gradually over a 10-year period, starting in 2023.The current energy tax system, which dates back to 2006, “is incentivizing fossil fuels and not environmentally-friendly fuels. We have to change that,” said Paolo Gentiloni, the European commissioner for economy, at the G-20 finance ministers meeting at the weekend.The outlook: The airline industry can be expected to lobby hard against the proposed rules. And all decisions on taxes must be taken unanimously by the EU’s 27 member states.
Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.