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#TheFutureIsYours Prescribing a healthier future for Europeans

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Taxes on meat to improve health & reduced VAT on healthy food

09/05/2021 15:23 6 comments

Europeans eat 68 kg meat on average per year: more than dietary guidelines say is healthy for us. The result: high risks for diabetes 2, cancer, overweight and stroke. Taxing meat consumption in EU countries with an excise duty per kg meat is the solution! Tariffs can be based on environmental costs for GHG-emissions (50 euro/kg CO2 equivalent) and health care cost for overconsumption. So the consumer - polluter pays principle is applied. This would mean for instance 20 eurocent/100 gram chicken meat, 40 eurocent/100 gram pork and 50 eurocent/100 gram beef/veal/processed meat. Revenues can be used to reduce VAT tariffs for healthy foods like vegetables and fruits, and compensate low income groups and subsidize farmers for sustainability and animal welfare. This tax proposal is supported by a majority of 55% Germans, French and Dutch people, according to a recent survey (DVJ Insights). The proposal is done by TAPP Coalition and presented 5th Feb 2020 at the EU parliament with a lot of global media coverage. The Netherlands Agriculture Minister is preparing a meat tax for a next government. In Germany the Parliament decided to introduce a tax on meat and dairy, to pay farmers to improve animal welfare. If all EU countries would introduce such meat taxes, people would consume 50% less meat. This will benefit public health and will reduce health care costs in the EU: 9 billion euro/year. And GHG-emissions will go down with 120 Mton/year! https://tappcoalition.eu/nieuws/pagina/3