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Regressivity of environmental taxation: myth or reality?

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  • Katri Kosonen

    (European Commission)

Abstract

This paper first presents an overview of the various factors that in light of the economic literature should be taken into account in the analysis of tax incidence of environmental taxation. It then explores the main empirical findings, in particular those which make a distinction between the distributional effects of transport-related taxes and those of other environmental taxes. This includes also some less well-known evidence from the Nordic countries. In the final section it presents some recent evidence on the distributional impact of energy taxation in the EU member states included in the impact assessment of the revision of the European Union’s Energy Tax Directive.

Suggested Citation

  • Katri Kosonen, 2012. "Regressivity of environmental taxation: myth or reality?," Taxation Papers 32, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission.
    • Handle: RePEc:tax:taxpap:0032
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Säll, Sarah, 2015. "Distributional effects of environmental meat taxes in Sweden- Can the poor still eat meat?," Working Paper Series 2015:3, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department Economics.
    2. Alberto Gago & Xavier Labandeira & Xiral López Otero, 2014. "A Panorama on Energy Taxes and Green Tax Reforms," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 208(1), pages 145-190, March.
    3. European Commission, 2013. "Tax reforms in EU Member States - Tax policy challenges for economic growth and fiscal sustainability – 2013 Report," Taxation Papers 38, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission.
    4. Säll, Sarah, 2018. "Environmental food taxes and inequalities: Simulation of a meat tax in Sweden," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 147-153.
    5. Margit Schratzenstaller-Altzinger & Alexander Krenek, 2016. "Sustainability-oriented EU Taxes:The Example of a European Carbon-based Flight Ticket Tax," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58888.
    6. European Commission, 2012. "Tax reforms in EU Member States - Tax policy challenges for economic growth and fiscal sustainability – 2012 Report," Taxation Papers 34, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission.
    7. Carl Gaigné & Lota D. Tamini, 2021. "Environmental Taxation and Import Demand for Environmental Goods: Theory and Evidence from the European Union," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(2), pages 307-352, February.
    8. Schreiber, Tim, 2017. "Post-crisis economic policy coordination in the EU: The European Semester as trigger for the Europeanization of national policies? An analysis of the European Semester's impact on French environmental," PIPE - Papers on International Political Economy 29/2017, Free University Berlin, Center for International Political Economy.
    9. Schlegelmilch, Kai & Cottrell, Jacqueline & Runkel, Matthias & Mahler, Alexander, 2016. "Environmental tax reform in developing, emerging and transition economies," IDOS Studies, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), volume 93, number 93, March.
    10. Fang, Guochang & Yang, Kun & Tian, Lixin & Ma, Yuting, 2022. "Can environmental tax promote renewable energy consumption? — An empirical study from the typical countries along the Belt and Road," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    11. Bernardi, Luigi, 2014. "Tax reforms in EU Member States subce rhe turn of the New centuri: selected observations," MPRA Paper 56856, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Hassan, Mahmoud & Kouzez, Marc & Lee, Ji-Yong & Msolli, Badreddine & Rjiba, Hatem, 2024. "Does increasing environmental policy stringency enhance renewable energy consumption in OECD countries?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    13. Shkarlet, Serhiy & Petrakov, Iaroslav, 2013. "Environmental Taxation Evolution in Ukraine: Trends, Challenges and Outlook," MPRA Paper 45168, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 18 May 2013.
    14. Steinsland, Christian & Fridstrøm, Lasse & Madslien, Anne & Minken, Harald, 2018. "The climate, economic and equity effects of fuel tax, road toll and commuter tax credit," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 225-241.
    15. Anna Dimitrova & Katarina Hollan & Daphne Channa Laster & Andreas Reinstaller & Margit Schratzenstaller & Ewald Walterskirchen & Teresa Weiss, 2013. "Literature Review on Fundamental Concepts and Definitions, Objectives and Policy Goals as well as Instruments Relevant for Socio-ecological Transition. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 40," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47015.
    16. Alexander Krenek & Margit Schratzenstaller, 2017. "Sustainability-oriented tax-based own resources for the European Union: a European carbon-based flight ticket tax," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 44(4), pages 665-686, November.
    17. Luigi Bernardi, 2014. "Tax Reforms in the EU Member States Since the Turn of the New Century: Selected Observations," Working papers 2, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    18. Kirchner, Mathias & Sommer, Mark & Kratena, Kurt & Kletzan-Slamanig, Daniela & Kettner-Marx, Claudia, 2019. "CO2 taxes, equity and the double dividend – Macroeconomic model simulations for Austria," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 295-314.
    19. Spengel, Christoph & Heckemeyer, Jost Henrich & Bräutigam, Rainer & Nicolay, Katharina & Klar, Oliver & Stutzenberger, Kathrin, 2016. "The effects of tax reforms to address the debt-equity bias on the cost of capital and on effective tax rates," ZEW Expertises, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, volume 65, number 148156.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    European Union; taxation; environmental taxes; redistribution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

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