Economic, Environmental and International Trade Effects of the EU Directive on Energy Tax Harmonization
Michael Kohlhaas,
Katja Schumacher,
Jochen Diekmann,
Dieter Schumacher and
Martin Cames
No 462, Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin from DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research
Abstract:
In October 2003, the European Union introduced a Directive which widens the scope of the EU's minimum taxation system from mineral oils to all energy products including coal, natural gas and electricity. It aims at reducing distortions that currently exist between Member States as well as between energy products. In addition, it increases previous minimum tax rates and thus the incentive to use energy more efficiently. The Directive will lead to changes in the energy tax schemes in a number of countries, in particular some southern Member Countries (Greece, Spain, Portugal) and most of the Eastern European EU candidate countries. In this paper, we analyze the effects of the EU energy tax harmonization with GTAP-E, a computable general equilibrium model. Particular focus is placed on the Eastern European countries which became new members of the EU in May 2004. We investigate the effects of the tax harmonization on overall economic growth and sectoral development. Special attention is paid to international trade in order to analyze if competitiveness concerns which have been forwarded in the context of energy taxation are valid. Furthermore, the effect on energy consumption and emissions and thus the contribution to the EU's climate change targets is analyzed.
JEL-codes: C68 F18 H23 O52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: II, 23, 2 p.
Date: 2004
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene and nep-env
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)
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Related works:
Working Paper: Economic, Environmental and International Trade Effects of the EU Directive on Energy Tax Harmonization (2010) 
Working Paper: Economic, Environmental and International Trade Effects of the EU Directive on Energy Tax Harmonization (2004) 
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp462
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