Member of the European Parliament Tom Vandendriessche, representing the Vlaams Belang party, called for the abolition of EU climate taxes during a speech in the European Parliament.
He described Brussels’ policies as a disaster that punishes workers, entrepreneurs, and ordinary families.
Speaking from the European Parliament podium, Vandendriessche argued that the ETS system artificially makes energy more expensive than in the rest of the world. Unlike Europe, he said, China, India, and the United States protect their industries rather than burdening them with additional costs. As a result, according to him, the EU is driving away its own production capacity.
“The European Union’s climate policy is an outright disaster. Through ETS, they are making energy artificially more expensive than in the rest of the world. And this system punishes those who work, those who run businesses, and even those who simply want to heat their homes. While China, India, and the United States protect their industries, the European Union is pushing ours away through ETS 1 — climate penalties, bureaucracy, and excessive energy prices,” the eurosceptic politician said.
His strongest criticism was directed at the new ETS 2 system.
“Hundreds of euros in additional climate taxes per family every year — while people are already struggling to pay their energy bills,” he stressed.
According to Vandendriessche, the European Commission is disconnected from the everyday lives of ordinary people. He argued that officials are obsessed with what he called outdated climate policies and fail to understand the realities faced by households.
He insisted that Europe needs affordable energy and practical policies rather than what he described as “green self-destruction.”
Vlaams Belang has consistently opposed the EU’s climate agenda. In 2021, Vandendriessche referred to Brussels’ proposals as “green robbery.” In 2024, he introduced a resolution calling for the cancellation of the Green Deal. In the summer of 2025, the party took a leading role in negotiations over 2040 climate targets, stating its intention to “put an end to climate madness.”
According to estimates cited by Flemish experts, ETS 2 could cost families an additional €650 per year. Vlaams Belang has described the system as “social slaughter.”
Philip Brusselmans stated:
“Former Energy Minister Zuhal Demir said this would create social devastation and that we should never approve it.”
His colleague Barbara Bonte argued that green targets are leading Europe toward deindustrialization and imposing excessive costs on taxpayers.
“This is not climate policy — this is self-destruction,” she said.
Vlaams Belang says it intends to continue pressuring the European Commission and opposes proposals to incorporate the EU’s 2040 climate targets into European climate law.
