The introduction of a European kerosene tax was a key issue in the European election campaign of today's Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans.

Since then it has become quiet about it, even if Timmermans occasionally promoted the idea.

But now the Commission wants to propose new rules for energy taxes in its “Fit for 55” climate package in mid-July and also make aviation responsible.

This emerges from a draft that is available to the FAZ.

Hendrik Kafsack

Business correspondent in Brussels.

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    The states should be obliged to apply the European minimum taxes for energy to kerosene as well.

    However, this should only apply to intra-European flights.

    In addition, the kerosene tax is to be introduced gradually over a period of ten years.

    Insofar as the international agreements allow, the Commission also wants to exempt the states from levying a kerosene tax on flights to non-EU countries as well.

    Cargo flights should generally be excluded.

    Otherwise they could face disadvantages in international competition, according to the draft.

    Providers from non-EU countries have a high market share in intra-European traffic and, according to most international agreements, would have to be exempt from kerosene taxes.

    The exemption of aviation from the kerosene tax goes back to the Chicago Convention of 1944, with which international civil aviation was to be promoted. According to the Energy Tax Directive of 2003, EU states are free to levy a kerosene tax. But only the Netherlands did that.

    In Germany, however, there is an aviation tax on every flight ticket. This is collected at take-offs in Germany. A kerosene tax, however, would only apply when refueling. In future, energy taxes as a whole should be based on the energy content of the respective fuel. However, there should be tax exemptions for energy-intensive companies that could fall behind in international competition. For the new rules to come into force, the EU Parliament and the Council of Ministers must agree. The hurdle is particularly high in this case, as the EU states have to decide unanimously on tax issues.