After the news that the European Court of Justice last week ruled in favour of a legal attempt by the European Commission to outlaw reduced VAT rates on energy saving products for the home, which could drive up the cost of renewables for UK consumers, Isaac Occhipinti, the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council’s head of external affairs hahs responded to the decision.
He said: “The UK government needs to fight this decision as it is totally irrational. It makes little sense to make it more expensive to improve energy efficiency when EU member states are legally bound to carbon reduction targets and so HHIC will be encouraging the UK government to fight this decision.
The UK government needs to fight this decision as it is totally irrational”
“The fight against fuel poverty and the desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are ‘social policy issues’ and the commission needs to open its eyes on this.
“It also seems odd to be pushing this at this point in time especially when the UK’s relationship with the EU is being debated and a referendum on membership is on the cards; pitting the UK against the European Commission on this issue, at a time of rising energy bills is totally irrational.”
The ruling is unlikely to come into force until March 2016.