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Danish Ministers meet with the Commission to discuss an environmental tax programme

On 23 May 1995, a delegation of the Danish Government met with Commissioners Mr. Monti, Ms. Bjerregaard, Mr. Papoutsis and Mr. Van Miert to discuss the introduction of a programme of environmental taxes envisaged by the Danish authorities. The Danish delegation included Ms. M...

On 23 May 1995, a delegation of the Danish Government met with Commissioners Mr. Monti, Ms. Bjerregaard, Mr. Papoutsis and Mr. Van Miert to discuss the introduction of a programme of environmental taxes envisaged by the Danish authorities. The Danish delegation included Ms. Marianne Jeveld, Minister for Economic Affairs, Mr. Carsten Koch, Minister for Taxation, and Mr. Svend Auken, Minister for the Environment. As a result of the meeting, the Danish authorities are in a position to proceed with their plans to introduce a number of tax measures designed to protect the environment. Mr. Monti, Commissioner for the internal market, welcomed the Danish decision not to tax fuel used by ferries and aircraft on domestic routes. Such taxes would have contravened a Directive adopted unanimously by the Council of Ministers concerning excise duties. Mrs. Bjerregaard, Commissioner for the environment, expressed her satisfaction that the goal pursued through the proposed taxation is fully in line with the polluter-pays principle of the Treaty as well as the proposals put forward by the Commission in its White Paper. Mr. Van Miert, Commissioner for competition, stressed the fact that, pending a final analysis of some technical details, the Danish tax scheme was in line with European State aid rules concerning environmental protection. Mr. Papoutsis, Commissioner for energy, pointed out that the idea of paying back some of the tax is an effective tool for achieving energy-saving objectives, while the proposal to use surplus tax revenue in order to decrease employer contributions represents an innovation outlined in the White Paper, which could be beneficial for small and medium-sized enterprises.

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Denmark