That is of course good news for the driver, because such an electric car is too expensive for most families. The additional tax on CO2 that would come in 2027 will also become less drastic. This is not only good for consumers, who will see their energy bills rise less rapidly, but is also good for businesses.
Battle for the future of a petrol car comes to a boiling point in Brussels: Timmermans’ crown jewel at risk
The extra CO2 tax, part of the European Green Deal, is hitting businesses hard. This tax and other environmental taxes make production in Europe much more expensive than elsewhere in the world. More and more companies – especially in the vital chemical and steel industries – are leaving Europe to work elsewhere in the world, where environmental rules are more relaxed.
Of course, green policies should not disappear completely. Our planet has every interest in a cleaner environment. But the fast path to zero CO2 emissions that Europe has chosen will only lead to the departure of companies and thus an impoverishment of this continent. The path to lower emissions must be in step with the rest of the world, because green policy must not degenerate into a smear campaign against business.