EU’s Energy Taxation Directive review crucial to achieving transition to a clean, carbon-free economy

When the European Green Deal was announced in December 2019, we lived in a different world. The flagship project of the von der Leyen Commission was born B.C. (before COVID-19), but unlike the many other initiatives and practices that perished before the new reality, the Green Deal is needed now more than ever.It has also ultimately proved to be the perfect time to achieve Europe’s ambitions and accelerate efforts aimed at achieving climate neutrality and the transition to a green economy. The pandemic has given urgency to action and awakened millions of citizens who, all of a sudden, have experienced in practice what it means to live in a global village.Confined for months, exposed to a cascade of shocking news, populations across the EU have had time to reflect on many issues: from health and public services to the economy and joint recovery.Well, now it is time to add one more topic to the discussion: taxation. Tax systems play an important role in the distribution of wealth and opportunities, as well as in the maintenance and support of welfare states. Everybody understands this.