This has happened in record time and now means that, in this situation, when we plan ahead... we have a tool to use if needed, says Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) on her way to today's meeting with her EU colleagues in Brussels.
Sweden has applied to lower the tax for all consumers by SEK 2.40 per liter for both diesel and unleaded gasoline.
The Commission's proposal for approval stresses that the reduction will only be allowed for a maximum of five months. No reservations are mentioned - although it warns that “untargeted tax cuts . . . tend to increase demand for fossil fuels”.
The European Commission has repeatedly emphasized that measures to address the ongoing energy crisis need to be targeted and temporary.
The issue will now be addressed by EU member states at ambassadorial and ministerial level. Formal approval is not expected until a few weeks later.
Now it will go through the ministerial council. We will see exactly whether there will be conditions. It will be time-limited, of course, says Svantesson.
Corrected: A previous version contained incorrect information about the decision-making process.
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