French Senators vote in favour of new tax on cruise ship passengers

"A new measure added to France's 2026 draft Budget would introduce a fee per cruise ship passenger at each French port of call. On Monday, France's Senate voted in favour of adding a new tax for international cruise ship passengers. The idea follows the 'polluter pays' (pollueur-payeur) principle, which aims to put the cost of pollution and prevention on the polluter, rather than those affected."

"The measure would make cruise ship passengers pay €15 per port of call in France, leading to an estimated revenue of €75 million per year to finance the protection of French coastlines. The senator who tabled the measure, Jean-Marc Délia from the right-wing Les Républicains party, justified the measure, noting that cruise ships emit more than seven million tonnes of CO2 in Europe each year."

"Will the measure pass? French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government opposed the measure, with budget minister Amélie Montchalin pointing out the "difficulty of differentiating between a cruise ship and a ferry." As things stand, only the Senate has supported the new tax on cruise ship passengers. The Assemblée Nationale must still examine it, which will likely take place in mid-December."

France's 2026 draft budget includes a proposed fee charging cruise ship passengers €15 per French port of call to fund coastal protection, expected to raise about €75 million annually. The Senate voted in favour of the tax while President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government opposed it, with Budget Minister Amélie Montchalin citing difficulty distinguishing cruise ships from ferries. The measure's sponsor, senator Jean-Marc Délia, cited cruise emissions exceeding seven million tonnes of CO2 in Europe annually. The Assemblée Nationale must still examine the proposal, and the tax only becomes law if both chambers and the overall budget approve it.

Read at The Local France