Poland Slashes VAT and Excise on Fuel as European Pump Prices Spike

Poland announced emergency cuts to VAT and excise taxes on fuel as war-driven prices surge, with Czech analysts noting diesel in the country is rising faster than anywhere else in the EU. The European Payments Initiative CEO said Trump-era fears are accelerating European payment system decoupling from US infrastructure. TotalEnergies announced it will reassess 2050 net-zero plans citing a slow energy transition, acknowledging the current conflict has pushed decarbonization timelines further out.