Bercy tried to tackle “brown” tax loopholes

On paper, the idea is attractive. To attract “green” factories in France, Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of the Economy, wants “creating a more attractive tax environment” as part of the green industry bill which should be presented by the summer. And, to avoid pushing the State accounts a little further into the bright red, one option being studied would consist of offsetting these new so-called “green” expenditures by attacking the “brown” tax loopholes (or ” greys») judged to be unfavorable to the environment and much criticized by economists at a time when the fight against climate change is a priority.

These “brown niches” include various tax advantages on fossil fuels such as, for example, the reduction of taxes for gasoline marketed in Corsica. Or even the application of a reduced rate for “the fuels used by taxis” and for “diesel fuels used as fuel by road freight vehicles…