EU leaders clash over car emissions tax at summit

Key facts

• A three-hour argument occurred at an EU leaders' summit over taxing car emissions and heating buildings.
• Italy, Poland, Czechia, and Hungary sought to delay the ETS2 law by two years.
• The majority of EU member states rejected the proposed delay.
• The ETS2 law is scheduled to implement a carbon price on transport and heating from 2028.

Leaders at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday spent three hours debating whether to tax car emissions and heating, delaying lunch. The discussion, initially intended to address soaring energy prices, quickly focused on the ETS2 law, which will introduce a carbon price on transport and heating from 2028. Countries including Italy, Poland, Czechia, and Hungary proposed delaying the law's implementation by two years, with Estonia suggesting its complete removal. However, the majority of EU member states rejected these proposals, with several diplomats calling the offer "unacceptable" and stating the launch date would not change. The debate highlights a growing resistance from right-leaning governments to the EU's climate policies, which they argue increase energy costs. The original Emissions Trading System (ETS) for factories and power plants was also seen as a target in these discussions.