A fit-for-purpose Emissions Trading System essential to help the tourism industry go green

As part of the Fit for 55 package, the European Commission issued a proposal to revise the Directive on Emission Trading System (ETS) (COM (2021) 551 final). The proposal includes a chapter dedicated to buildings and transport (both business and private) as a way to reach less than 55% of carbon emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. This separate upstream system will regulate fuel suppliers (rather than households and car drivers). According to the Commission proposal, both private households and businesses needed to contribute their fair share. We considered this a fair approach.

HOTREC is, nevertheless, extremely concerned with the result of the vote by the European Parliament at its plenary meeting on 22 June 2022, as MEPs decided the ETS II will apply initially only to commercial buildings and commercial road transport activities, starting in 2025. The system could then possibly be extended to private activities related to these sectors (i.e. households), from 2029 onwards, depending on the results of a prior impact assessment by the Commission. In addition, we also don’t agree that national taxation and charges for carbon emissions can be added on top of the new EU ETS charge.

As it stands, the private tourism sector will not be able to cope with the extra costs, while bankruptcies will continue to proliferate. A fit-for-purpose ETS needs a universal set price for CO2 to foster the greening of both vehicles and buildings and a one-stop shop for pricing CO2 emissions.

At the same time, we welcome that the Council’s general approach is close to the Commission proposal and added a temporary possibility for member states to exempt suppliers from the surrender of allowances until December 2030, if they are subject to a carbon tax at the national level, the level of which is equivalent or higher than the auction price for allowances in the ETS for the buildings and transport sector.

We also advocate that ETS revenues are used to support the green transition through support to technologies that contribute to energy, resource savings and pollution reduction.

Both companies, especially SMEs, and private householders should have easy access to the Social Climate Fund for the necessary infrastructural changes to be implemented.

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08 Sep
08/09/2023    
09:00 - 13:00
List of Participants Ms. Olga Kefalogianni, Greek Tourism Minister, will join us during the morning for an exchange (timing will be confirmed later) Draft Agenda [...]
Together for EU Tourism (T4T) stakeholder meeting
11/09/2023    
09:00 - 13:00
On 11 September 2023, the European Commission (DG GROW) will organise the first stakeholder event to support the co-implementation of the Transition Pathway for Tourism. This will be a hybrid event, taking place in Brussels and online.
Social Affairs Working Group meeting
12/09/2023    
10:00 - 12:00
On 12 September 2023, HOTREC will organise another meeting of its Social Affairs Working Group.
Members session on HOTREC European elections manifesto
14/09/2023    
10:00 - 12:00
On 14 September 2023, HOTREC will organise a members-only session to discuss the upcoming European Elections (June 2024). 
HOTREC Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee meeting
18/09/2023    
09:30 - 13:00
On the morning of 18 September 2023, HOTREC will organise another meeting of the Sectoral Social Dialogue (SSD) Committee. 
HOTREC Short-Term Rentals (STRs) Working Group meeting
21/09/2023    
10:00 - 11:30
On 21 September 2023, HOTREC will organise another meeting of its Short-Term Rentals Working Group.
Social Dialogue reform - meeting with European Commission
27/09/2023    
09:30 - 12:00
On 27 September 2023, HOTREC, together with other social partners representatives, will meet wit the European Commission to discuss the future organisation of the Social [...]
Working Group on Restaurants, Bars, Cafés & Late-nights: 28 September 2023
28/09/2023    
10:00 - 11:30
New information now available: link to register & draft agenda of the meeting.
Events on 08/09/2023
Events on 11/09/2023
Events on 12/09/2023
Events on 18/09/2023