Government revenues from environmental taxes amounted to €369 billion in 2017 in the European Union (EU), according to the latest data released by the EU's statistics watchdog Eurostat on Tuesday.
This amount was €264 billion in 2002, the Eurostat said and added that the share of environmental taxes in total government revenues from taxes and social contributions decreased to 6.1 percent in 2017 from 6.8 percent in 2002.
Meanwhile, taxes on energy accounted for more than three-quarters of the total revenues from environmental taxes (77 percent of the total), well ahead of taxes on transport (20 percent) and those on pollution and resources (3 percent).
The body noted that the proportion of environmental taxes in total revenues from taxes and social contributions varied significantly across the EU member states.
'In 2017, Latvia had the highest share of environmental taxes with 11.2 percent, ahead of four other EU member states with a share of at least 9 percent: Slovenia and Greece (both 10.2 percent), Croatia and Bulgaria (both 9.1 percent).
Luxembourg (4.4 percent), Germany (4.6 percent) and Sweden (4.9 percent) recorded the lowest shares of environmental taxes, followed by France and Belgium (both 5 percent), according to the data.
By Ebru Sengul
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr