Electrification: 'There is significant fiscal leeway in France' (Matthieu Toret / Enerlex)

“Today, in France, the excise duty on electricity stands at around €30/MWh for households and €27/MWh for businesses. The European minimum is €1/MWh for households and €0.50/MWh for businesses. France is therefore well above this floor, and there is significant room for manoeuvre,” said Matthieu Toret, managing partner of the law firm Enerlex, which specialises in environmental and energy taxation, to News Tank on 10 June 2026.

The European Commission is preparing a draft regulation reforming the taxation of electricity. In particular, it plans to require Member States to tax gas at higher rates than electricity.

“I don’t think France will oppose this, as this direction is in line with recent government statements. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has indicated that this tax disparity needs to be addressed. A report by the Court of Auditors also raised the possibility of reducing the gap between gas and electricity taxation, but not before 2030. The situation is therefore still open,” adds Matthieu Toret.

He answers questions from News Tank.

The EU is working on a draft regulation to…