17.30-18.00 Welcome and registration of participants

18.00-19.00 Evening Debate

EU legislation on energy taxation needs an update to promote efficient use of energy across the EU and reflect Europe’s climate change ambitions. The European Commission’s latest proposal for a revised energy taxation directive bases the level of taxation on CO2emissions as well as the energy content of each energy carrier. A single minimum rate of tax for CO2emissions would be introduced for all sectors not covered by the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), this could for instance level the taxation of diesel and gasoline. But this shift in taxation raises a number of questions.

Would taxing products on energy content and CO2emissions encourage rational consumer choices of energy products based on merit rather then tax levels? What will be the possible economic and social impact of the proposal, in particular on the EU refining sector, automotive industry, and on sectors heavily reliant on transport and energy? How could this proposed legislation affect demand for different energy sources? What are the potential long-term implications on EU growth and for the 2020 Strategy “triangle” of energy security, sustainability and competitiveness?

Featuring:

• Astrid Lulling MEP, Member of the European Parliament Committee on Economy and Monetary Affairs and Rapporteur on the Taxation of Energy Products and Electricity
• Isabelle Muller, Secretary General, European Petroleum Industry Association (EUROPIA)
• Robin Smale, Director at Vivid Economics, UK
• Heinz Zourek, European Commission Director General for Taxation and Customs Union

Moderated by Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe

19.00-19.30 Networking cocktail