European Commissioner Frans Timmermans wants to introduce a new tax per kilometer driven for all cars throughout the European Union in his new Green Deal. In addition, freight and goods transport will have to purchase emission allowances linked to their level of air pollution. Timmermans will take office as climate commissioner on Monday.
The plans of the Dutch EU Commissioner were leaked by the Dutch public broadcaster NOS, which obtained a copy of the Green Deal. Timmermans will take office as climate commissioner on Monday. According to those involved, the document is far from the official version but rather represents 'notes on Timmermans’ direction of thinking.'
A kilometer charge across Europe is one of the most striking proposals. In this system, drivers are charged for their use of the vehicle, not for simply owning a car. This requires camera registration of license plates and on-board equipment. In the Netherlands, implementing such a system has been considered several times, technically proven feasible, but it was repeatedly shelved.
Promotion
The documents also state that aviation emission rights will be drastically restricted. Road transport and freight are permitted but only if the transport company holds emission allowances that must be introduced. Timmermans also wants to shift as much as three-quarters of road freight transport to rail and waterways, though it is not yet clear how this will be achieved.
European agriculture must become more environmentally and climate friendly. A special plan for farmers and food production will be introduced, called 'from farm to fork.' What exactly this entails is not yet worked out but will undoubtedly have consequences for current agricultural subsidies. However, a special action plan for agriculture and the food industry will be developed. Timmermans also intends to review all EU legislation to check whether it is sufficiently green.
At the beginning of October, it already became clear that Timmermans wants 'massive reforestation' within the European Union. He also aims to increase green space significantly in European cities. Earlier leaks also revealed that he is considering introducing a special CO2 import tax on foreign products. This would give the EU leverage over environmentally friendly production of imported goods from Asia or the United States.
The leaked plan shows that many proposals are still uncertain and decisions about them will be made in the coming weeks. For example, funding for such a multi-year billion-euro operation is far from finalized. The new European Commission wants CO2 air pollution to be at least halved by 2030, preferably reduced by 55 percent.
The currently leaked document does not yet represent the official version but provides insight into Timmermans’ direction of thought. He intends to present the first version of his Green Deal to the European Parliament on December 11, ahead of the semi-annual EU summit in Brussels on December 12 and 13. Over the next five years, it will be his task to oversee everything related to climate policy in the European Union. One of his assignments is to ensure the EU is climate neutral by 2050.