{"id":24543,"date":"2026-04-27T08:07:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T06:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/eugh-keine-steuer-auf-kostenlose-emissionszertifikate\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T10:25:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T08:25:08","slug":"eugh-keine-steuer-auf-kostenlose-emissionszertifikate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/eugh-keine-steuer-auf-kostenlose-emissionszertifikate\/","title":{"rendered":"ECJ: no tax on free emission allowances"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>European emissions trading<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The European system for <strong>taxing greenhouse gas emissions<\/strong> provides for a market-based mechanism. For every ton of emissions, an <strong>emission allowance<\/strong> must be purchased and surrendered. This is intended to create an incentive to reduce the burning of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Certain companies that are particularly energy-intensive and whose <strong>relocation<\/strong> from the EU is looming receive <strong>free emission allowances<\/strong>. This significantly reduces the tax burden for these companies. The aim is also to encourage them to invest in <strong>alternative energy technologies<\/strong>. This system is fully harmonized at the EU level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Nitrog\u00e9nm\u0171vek: a Hungarian fertilizer producer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of these beneficiary companies is the <strong>Hungarian firm Nitrog\u00e9nm\u0171vek<\/strong>. It is one of the largest <strong>fertilizer producers<\/strong> in the EU, headquartered in the western part of Hungary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fertilizer industry has recently come into the media spotlight due to the negative impacts of the Iran war and its <strong>crucial importance for global food production<\/strong>. It is an energy-intensive industry whose electrification faces significant hurdles (&#8220;hard to abate&#8221;).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ECJ: Hungarian tax not permissible<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Hungarian Government introduced measures to consolidate the national budget in the wake of the <strong>war in Ukraine<\/strong>, including a <strong>tax on freely allocated emission allowances<\/strong>. This tax, set at EUR 36, amounts to roughly half the value of these allowances and particularly affects energy-intensive companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX%3A62024CJ0519\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">European Court of Justice has now ruled<\/a> that such a tax is <strong>not permissible<\/strong>, for several reasons. First, such a tax disrupts the balance of the emissions trading system. Moreover, it undermines the effect of the free allocation and, in particular, <strong>removes the incentive<\/strong> for companies to invest in alternative energy sources (green technologies). The fully harmonized European emissions trading system leaves no room for such national deviations, even though tax sovereignty lies with the member states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your contact<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/team\/johannes-hartlieb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Johannes Hartlieb<\/a> and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/r\/regulated-industries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Regulated Industries team<\/a> are happy to answer any questions you may have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Disclaimer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article is for general information only and does not replace legal advice. Haslinger \/ Nagele Rechtsanw\u00e4lte GmbH assumes no liability for the content and correctness of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"cards-thumbs-round align-full\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"intro\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t      <h2 class=\"light\">Author<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item h-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/HartliebJohannes_HaslingerNagele_quadratisch-min.jpg\" alt=\"Portr\u00e4tfoto Johannes Hartlieb, Rechtsanwalt Haslinger\/Nagele, Portrait von Julia Spicker\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/team\/johannes-hartlieb\/\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t          target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t          Johannes Hartlieb \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t        <\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t      Contract Partner\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"cards-thumbs-round align-full\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"intro\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t      <h2 class=\"light\">Further information on this legal field can be found here<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item h-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/reg-Netze_520x520.png\" alt=\"Regulierte Industrien | Haslinger \/ Nagele, Illustration: Karl-Heinz Wasserbacher\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/r\/regulated-industries\/\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t          target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t          Regulated Industries \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t        <\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The European system for taxing greenhouse gas emissions is based on a market mechanism. Johannes Hartlieb and Valentina Knees provide an overview. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2656,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[163,31,148],"class_list":["post-24543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-360-renewable-energy","category-news","category-regulated-industries"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Empfang","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}