Brev som har skickats från Växjö kommun till EU-kommissionens ordförande José Manuel Barosso

Bifogar brev som har skickats från Växjö kommun till EU-kommissionens ordförande José Manuel Barosso, generalsekreteraren Catherine Day med flera. I brevet riktar man kritik mot kommissionen förslag om att öka tullarna för etanol E-85. - Vi vill uttrycka vår djupa oro om förslaget genomförs. Inte bara kommer det att hindra utvecklingen i tredje världen, utan det innebär också ett stopp för det framgångsrika arbetet med att byta ut fossilbränsle mot biobränsle som pågår i Sverige och Europa, skriver kommunalråden. Mer information kan fås av: Bo Frank (m), kommunalråd, tel. 0705-84 13 90 Gunnar Elm (c), kommunalråd, tel. 0705-73 20 53 Lotta Svanberg (s), kommunalråd, tel. 0706-84 13 52 Sarah Nilsson, miljösamordnare, tel. 0703-21 22 77 Vänliga hälsningar Henrik Nilsson Informatör och teamledare KOMMUNLEDNINGSFÖRVALTNINGEN Informationsenheten Växjö kommun, Box 1222, 351 12 Växjö Tel 0470-414 97, Mobil 0703-99 07 71 E-post henrik.nilsson@kommun.vaxjo.se Hemsida www.vaxjo.se To : President José Manuel Barroso Secretary General Catherine Day Commissioners László Kovács, Stavros Dimas, Jacques Barrot & Andris Piebalgs Directorate-General for Taxation and the Customs Union László Kovács Director General DG Environment Peter Carl Director General DG Energy and Transport Matthias Ruete Concerning: Increased custom on ethanol (E-85) as biofuel Dear Madam/Sir, We are aware that the Commission is currently working on a suggestion to increase the custom on ethanol vehicle fuel E-85. We would like to express our deepest concerns if this becomes reality. Not only will it hinder third world countries from achieving a more sustainable development, it will also stop a very successful transition from fossil fuels to bio-fuels in Sweden and Europe. The city of Växjö in Sweden, winner of the European Commissions Sustainable Energy Award 2007, has decreased its emissions of fossil CO2/capita with 30% since 1993. We attaches great importance to climate change and want to highlight the harmful impact the suggested custom will have by giving an example from local level. Växjö has had the highest number of alternative cars, of which many ethanol cars, per inhabitant due to a very active climate protection program with incentives like free parking. People living in Växjö have been eager to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gases. With this high custom, the ethanol will become more expensive that gasoline and the citizens will have to pay. At the same time as people want to take their responsibility to mitigate global warming, European Commission is going the other way which will lead not only to increased CO2 emissions but also undermines the faith of the European Union. We find it inconsistent to have higher tax on the renewable fuel ethanol than on fossil oil products like gasoline and diesel. It counteracts the European Union’s target to reduce the CO2 emissions. Yours Sincerely Bo Frank Charlotta Svanberg Gunnar Elm Mayor Vice Mayor Second Vice Mayor