HL Deb 20 February 2001 vol 622 cc94-6WA
Baroness Byford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many of the European Union member states have imposed the climate change levy on their horticulturists; how many have imposed the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive measures and to what extent; and how many of these countries have introduced a pesticide tax. [HL676]

Baroness Hayman

We understand that Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden have some form of energy tax. There is special treatment for the use of natural gas but not electricity in the glasshouse sector in the Netherlands; the rate of tax is lower for the horticultural and manufacturing sectors than for domestic and commercial use in Finland; and in Sweden only part of the tax applies to the manufacturing and agriculture industries. Belgium and France plan to introduce an energy tax in 2001.

The majority of European member states have transposed the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive. Under the directive, new and substantially changed installations were required to apply for an IPPC permit from 31 October 1999, while existing installations have until 31 October 2007. Member states have varying timetables for introducing existing installations.

European Union information states that Denmark, France and Sweden have a general pesticides tax. Belgium also has a limited pesticides tax applying solely to a small number of pesticides used in the municipal sector. A number of other countries, including the UK, have a levy.