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The state and perspectives of green budget reform in Poland. Michał Dybiec Andrzej Kassenberg Wojciech Stodulski Institute for Sustainable Development Warsaw, Poland International Conference Environmentally harmful subsidies and ways to eliminate them 2-3 September 2004, Budapest.
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The state and perspectives of green budget reform in Poland Michał Dybiec Andrzej Kassenberg Wojciech Stodulski Institute for Sustainable Development Warsaw, Poland International Conference Environmentally harmful subsidies and ways to eliminate them 2-3 September 2004, Budapest
PROS High GDP growth High unemployment Needs for extra funds for implementation of EU-law High costs of labour High extent of subsidisation Low level of costs internalization Low level of innovation in the economy CONS High budget deficit High public debt servicing High budget allocations to Social Insurance Fund and Pension Fund Relative small share of revenues from excise tax in the state budget Relative small impact on labour market Economic weakness of enterprises and households EFR in Poland pros and cons
Selected tendencies in relation to EFR and harmful subsidies • Transport • Excise tax removal – new registration fees. • Vignette removal • Coal mining • Energy
Harmful subsidies – coal mining • In the 90s – direct subsidies and debt forgiveness of 34 billions PLN (in real prices of 2001– av. yearly total state aid ca. 11 bio.) • Restructuring programme for 2004-10 : subsidies of almost 10 billions PLN. • Unknown extent of hidden subsidies: organizational structure of the sector. • Financial results of coal companies vs. rationale for state aid.
Harmful subsidies – energy • Main area of concern – long-term contracts (KDT). • Underwritten between Polish Power Grid and energy companies. • Partly for restructuring and modernization programmes. • Today 40% of domestic energy production under KDT. • 25 billions PLN for contracts removal. • NAP – 35% more emission allowed than resulting from approved Climate Policy
Excise tax rates on energy carriers in Poland 2004 (1EUR=4,44PLN)
Excise tax – hidden subsidies • Natural gas – could be excluded from excise tax up to 2013. • Coal – 50% of excise tax rate to be reached up to 2007, 100% up to 2010. • Diesel fuel – full tax rate to be reached before 2011. • No excise tax for heavy heating oil and coke.
VAT – hidden subsidies • Basic VAT rate – 22% • Good and services on which preferential rate 3% is imposed (up to 30.04.2008) • Nitrogen fertilizers • Phosphorus fertilizers • Potassium fertilizers • Pesticides and other agrochemicals • Wood extraction services • Services on which preferential rate 7% is imposed • Taxi services • Passenger road transport services • Air travels
ISD’s activity on ETR/EFR • 1996 two international conferences for environmental NGO from CEE • 2000-2002 project on ETR with secenarios development • From 2000 particpation in EEB campaign • 2003 – international conference with World Bank • 2002-2004 – two projects with Clean Air Action Group (REC, Hungarian Access) --------------------------------------------------------------- Small groups of scientist work on ETR/EFR in Warsaw University and Cracow School of Economics
Scenarios for EFR in Poland - conclusions • Double dividend (positive results for environment and employment) is very difficult to project and achieve. • The impact of tax reform on inflation and increase of production costs is not significant – real prices of majority of goods will not change. • Welfare of households should not decrease. • Supportive role of EFR for the system of environmental fees in Poland.
FOR Ministry of Environment Environmental NGOs Some environmental economists Greens 2004 Environmental investment market POTENTIALLY FOR Biofuel and Renewable Energy producers Public transport sector AGAINST Ministry of Economy andLabour Ministry of Finan Energy and mining sector UNCONVINCED Env. Commission in Parliament Some bussines organisations Some environmental experts Trade Unions Regional and local self-government Who is for, who is against
Next steps • Establishing the Polish-German committee for implementation of EFR • Debate in parliamentary environmental commission on EFR • Polish-German workshop on subsidies harmful to the environment (generally and in energy sector)
Thank you for your attention Institute for Sustainable Development Web: www.ine-isd.org.pl E-mail: a.kassenberg@ine-isd.org.pl w.stodulski@ine-isd.org.pl m.dybiec@ine-isd.org.pl