Article · Energy · Money and markets
Six EU countries want the carbon price on fuel and heating pushed back to 2030. At 45 euros a tonne, a litre of diesel costs about 12 cents more
At the European Council on 15 October 2026, Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Italy and Greece asked for ETS2, the second EU emissions trading system covering road fuel and heating fuel for buildings, to be delayed "until at least 2030". According to the European Commission, ETS2 will be fully operational in 2028. Finland, Denmark and Sweden wrote a letter, seen by Euronews, against any weakening of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). One EU diplomat told Euronews the change "will never get the required unanimity" (single source, Euronews). By our calculation, at 45 euros per tonne of CO2, the level the Commission names as the first-years price stability threshold in 2020 prices, diesel would cost about 12 cents more per litre and petrol about 10 cents, before VAT. On the evening of 15 October there were still no agreed conclusions on energy.
Six EU governments want to push a new carbon price on petrol, diesel and heating fuel back by two years. By our calculation, if it started at 45 euros a tonne, a litre of diesel would cost about 12 cents more, before VAT.
This is not a national fuel tax. ETS2 is a separate EU system: fuel suppliers will have to buy an allowance for every tonne of CO2 in the fuel they sell, and that cost ends up in the pump price and the heating bill, from Lisbon to Warsaw. On 15-16 October 2026, EU leaders in Brussels are arguing over whether it starts in 2028, as currently planned, or later.