With the help mainly of the Socialists and the Liberals (and PPE voting notoriously against all our amendments) we could achieve, with a close majority of one vote only (271 : 270 : 3), that the Parliament proposes to increase the minimum levels of taxation of motor fuels to the levels it has already proposed in its 1999 report (report Cox) to be applied from 1 January 2000 on (based on the Commission’s proposal). New minimum amounts of taxation for diesel used as motor fuel would thus increase from the proposed 302 Euro/1000 l to 343 Euro from 1 January 2004 on.(amendment 15)

Majority was also achieved to bring forward, by two years (2008 instead 2010), the second (modest) step of taxation of motor fuels, which would rise minimum amounts for diesel from 330 Euro from 2010 on in the draft Directive to 393 Euro from 2008 on (amendments 14 (284 :249 : 6) and amendment 15).

The Parliament also expresses itself in favour of making compulsury for Member States tax reductions for renewable forms of energy (adoption of amendment 10 with 278 : 265 votes) and not to include peat in the list of renewables (rejection of amendment 5 of EMAC Committee. However we lost to exclude big hzdroelectric installations (over 15 MW) from that very list (193:337 votes, with Socialists voting against)

An amendment proposing (as a consideration) to set time limits for all tax exemptions foreseen in the draft Directive has got a clear majority, while in concrete terms, the limit until 2007 possible tax exemptions for energy products used in agriculture, horticulture and pisciculture, unless the Council decides otherwise (sunset clause) has been adopted by a close majority only (amendment 12), and our amendment seeking to intorduce the same logic in the provisions for heating fuels (amendment 8) was rejected by 263 : 265 votes.

An amendment to exclude "pure vegetale oil" (as a non-mineral oil) from the scope of the Directive found a 298 : 227 majority.

An amendment seeking to make clear that Member STates have to exempt kerosene (fuel for professional aviation) from taxation only as long as international commitments force them to do so was adopted by a narrow majority of 267 : 264 votes.

Commissioner Bolkestein, in his intervention on the subject last night, declared to support th eamendments bringing forward, by two years, the next step for higher amounts for motor fuel taxes (am 7) and to support the "sunset-Clause" amendments (no. 8 and 12). Despite "some sympathy" he told the house that he does not dare to re-open the discussion on amendments 6 (definition bio-fuels), 9 (kerosene tax) and increased rates (15). The Commission rejects am 5, 10 (compulsory tax reductions/ exemptions for renewables), 11 (Green hydrogen ; BUT HE DECLARED IN HIS SPEECH THAT HE IS IN FAVOUR OF (ONLY) GREEN HYDROGENE) and he is against the exemption for "pure vegetal oil" (am 16 - 18).

It will now be important to approach the Council to make him adopt a more progressive stance on Eu minimum taxes for energy products.