Spanish state aid for fossil fuels
12.10.2017
Question for written answer E-006416-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Lola Sánchez Caldentey (GUE/NGL) , Tania González Peñas (GUE/NGL) , Xabier Benito Ziluaga (GUE/NGL)
A recent study led by Climate Action Network[1] revealed that the Spanish Government does not publish an inventory of state aids for fossil fuels. In fact, there is no data regarding 56% of fiscal support instruments for fossil fuels and 20% of projects and programmes relating to fossil fuels financed with public funds.
Despite the commitments by the EU and the Spanish Government to ‘phase out’ fossil fuels, fiscal support measures have been identified for coal and electricity production, aviation and maritime transport, amongst others, amounting to EUR 1 711 million in the 2014-16 period.
1. Is the Commission aware of these measures and, if so, does it consider them to constitute unlawful state aid in terms of competition?
2. How does the Commission intend to make the EU and its Member States fulfil their commitments arising from the signing and ratification of the COP21 Paris Agreements, while countries such as Spain heavily subsidise fossil fuels?
- [1] Phase-Out 2020. Monitoring Europe's fossil fuel subsidies. September 2017. https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resource-documents/11762.pdf