Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesfinanzhof (Germany) lodged on 28 January 2013 — Hauptzollamt Krefeld v Rhein-Ruhr Beschichtungs-Service GmbH

(Case C-44/13)

2013/C 123/15

Language of the case: German

Referring court

Bundesfinanzhof

Parties to the main proceedings

Defendant and appellant: Hauptzollamt Krefeld

Applicant and respondent: Rhein-Ruhr Beschichtungs-Service GmbH

Question referred

Does Article 2(3) of Council Directive 2003/96/EC restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity, (1) in relation to the taxation of energy products other than those for which a level of taxation is specified in the Directive, require the application of a rate of tax which national law specifies for the use of an energy product as heating fuel, provided that that other energy product is also used as heating fuel? Or, in cases where the other energy product — in circumstances where it is used as heating fuel — is equivalent to a particular energy product, can the rate of tax specified by national law for this energy product be applied, even in the case where the rate of tax is the same irrespective of whether it is being used as motor fuel or as heating fuel?

(1)  OJ 2003 L 283, p. 51.