19 March 2024: Last week, MEPs from the European Parliament gathered to discuss the new draft compromise on the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD). Policy Adviser Johan Bernardo Langerock, announced that, despite the meeting, MEPs have not been able to agree so there will be no European Parliament position on the revision of the ETD during this mandate. This means that the file will not go forward during this mandate.

On the Council side, the next Working Party on tax issues will be on 26 March.

23 January 2024: The Belgian Presidency would like to propose one last compromise on Energy Taxation Directive (ETD) in February. 

At the beginning of January, Belgium took over the Council Presidency. Although, it did not mention ETD as one of its key priorities, they communicated that they are working on a compromise on the text.

As a reminder, the Directive aims to implement a minimum tax rate on fuel and review the exemptions on aviation and maritime. The text is currently stuck at the Council as it requires unanimity from all Member States.

However, the Belgian Presidency claimed that countries may seem more open on the text, and it wants to take this opportunity to propose one last version of the text before the end of the Commission’s mandate. The text would be discussed by States energy experts on 29 February.

From the European Parliament side, rapporteur Johan Van Overtveldt mentioned they are willing to keep working on the file. As a directive, the Council does not need the Parliament approval for the text, but it still needs its opinion.