{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2014-725/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2014-725/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2014/725",
  "legislation_title": "Council Implementing Decision of 14 October 2014 authorising Sweden to apply a reduced rate of taxation on electricity directly provided to vessels at berth in a port in accordance with Article 19 of Directive 2003/96/EC (2014/725/EU)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2014-725",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Council Implementing Decision\nof 14 October 2014\nauthorising Sweden to apply a reduced rate of taxation on electricity directly provided to vessels at berth in a port in accordance with Article 19 of Directive 2003/96/EC\n(2014/725/EU)\nTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,\nHaving regard to Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity, and in particular Article 19 thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the European Commission,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nBy Council Implementing Decision 2011/384/EU, Sweden was authorised to apply a reduced rate of taxation to electricity directly provided to vessels at berth in a port (‘shore-side electricity’) in accordance with Article 19 of Directive 2003/96/EC until 25 June 2014.\n(2)\nBy letter of 13 December 2013, Sweden sought the authorisation to continue to apply a reduced rate of electricity tax to shore-side electricity pursuant to Article 19 of Directive 2003/96/EC.\n(3)\nWith the tax reduction it intends to apply, Sweden aims at continuing the promotion of a more widespread use of shore-side electricity as an environmentally less harmful way for ships to satisfy their electricity needs while lying at berth in ports as compared to the burning of bunker fuels on board the vessels.\n(4)\nIn so far as the use of shore-side electricity avoids emissions of air pollutants associated with the burning of bunker fuels on board the vessels at berth, it contributes to an improvement of local air quality in port cities. Under the specific conditions of the electricity generation structure in the region concerned, i.e. the Nordic electricity market including Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, the use of electricity from the onshore grid instead of electricity generated by burning bunker fuels on board is furthermore expected to reduce CO2 emissions. The measure is therefore expected to contribute to the environmental, health and climate policy objectives of the Union.\n(5)\nAllowing Sweden to apply a reduced rate of electricity taxation to shore-side electricity does not go beyond what is necessary to increase the use of shore-side electricity, since on-board generation will remain the more competitive alternative in most cases. For the same reason, and because of the current relatively low degree of market penetration of the technology, the measure is unlikely to lead to significant distortions in competition during the time it is applied and will thus not negatively affect the proper functioning of the internal market.\n(6)\nIt follows from Article 19(2) of Directive 2003/96/EC that each authorisation granted under that provision must be strictly limited in time. Given the need for a period long enough to allow for the proper evaluation of the measure, but also the need not to undermine future developments of the existing legal framework, it is appropriate to grant the authorisation requested for a period of six years.\n(7)\nIn order to provide legal certainty to port and ship operators and to avoid a potential increase in the administrative burden for the distributors and redistributors of electricity which could result from changes to the rate of excise duty levied on shore-side electricity, it should be ensured that Sweden can apply the existing specific tax reduction to which this Decision relates without interruption. The authorisation requested should therefore be granted with effect from 26 June 2014, in order to follow seamlessly on from the prior arrangements under Council Implementing Decision 2011/384/EU.\n(8)\nThis Decision should cease to apply on the date on which general rules on tax advantages for shore-side electricity become applicable by way of a future legislative act of the Union.\n(9\nThis decision is without prejudice to the application of the Union rules regarding State aid,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "OJ L 283, 31.10.2003, p. 51."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Council Implementing Decision 2011/384/EU of 20 June 2011 authorising Sweden to apply a reduced rate of electricity tax to electricity directly provided to vessels at berth in a port (‘shore-side electricity’) in accordance with Article 19 of Directive 2003/96/EC (OJ L 170, 30.6.2011, p. 36)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2014/725/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:14:37.441115+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}