Tackling Fossil Fuel Subsidies in the EU: The risk of wasting a once-in-a-generation opportunity with the Energy Taxation Directive
Monday 13 October 9am
Location: Silver Square, Square de Meeus 35, B-1000 Bruxelles, The Parliament Room and online (Hybrid event)
On the occasion of the Ocean Week, BLOOM, Seas At Risk and Blue Marine Foundation invite you to a press briefing in Brussels to raise awareness about one of the last remaining legislative files of the European Green Deal we can and must save : the revision of the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD).
Despite its profound implications for climate, biodiversity, and fiscal justice, this file has been stalled in the Council since 2021 but could be put to final vote on 13th November 2025.
Why this directive matters:
• It is key to ending massive fossil fuel subsidies, especially in aviation, maritime transport, and industrial fishing (being among the most polluting sectors).
• It offers a unique opportunity to end unfair competition against actors investing in decarbonisation.
• In the middle of tense budget discussions at both EU and many national levels, this directive could generate 59,7 billion EUR annually for the EU Member States and 6,01 billion EUR annually for France only.
• These revenues could be used to fund the ecological and social transition.
• It would correct a major absurdity: subsidising the leading causes of marine ecosystem destruction while we’ve already crossed the seventh planetary boundary.
However Member States are about to decide to maintain an obligatory fuel tax exemption for aviation, maritime transport and fisheries until at least 2035.
Agenda:
• Opening remarks with Martin Clark
• Overview of the ETD and Council compromise by BLOOM
• Analysis of the Tax Gap Report by Transport & Environment with Marte VanderGraaf
• Environmental impacts and consequences of the status quo with Prof. Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf, Co-Head of Earth System Analysis at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Professor of Ocean Physics at the University of Potsdam
• The cost of inaction and the myth of competitiveness without nature, with Michael Jakob, Climate economist
• Closing remarks by Claire Nouvian, Director of BLOOM association