GreenVAT initiative officially launched

Environmentally conscious consumers are often faced with the financial challenge of either buying conventional products or purchasing environmentally friendly and sustainably produced, but more expensive products. Our Green VAT initiative aims to remedy this.

VAT is assessed throughout the European Union, which means EU-wide, sellers must pay the VAT charged on their products to the tax authorities of the respective country. They add this amount to the sales price for the end consumer so that they do not have to pay the tax themselves. Thus, the amount of VAT as part of the total price has a direct impact on the consumer’s purchase decision.

With our European Citizens’ Initiative on Green VAT, we demand a reduction of VAT for ecological, environmentally friendly and sustainable products. We take the initiative to contact the European Commission because EU law is binding for all Member States of the European Union. This means that all nation states would be required to transpose Green VAT into national law within a specified period of time.

Reductions in VAT on sustainable and ecological products would make them cheaper and thus more competitive in the marketplace compared to conventional products. For consumers, this means that they can actively support climate and environmental protection through their shopping behaviour. In economic terms, incentives would be provided for companies to produce resource- and environmentally-friendly products and to invest in research. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved and an investment in protecting our planet.

The European Union has around Climate change affects us all. A green VAT could be a practical and effective solution to reverse the trend of a throwaway society, especially in times of rapid consumption: We could protect the climate with our consumption behaviour.

9 February is the launch date of our initiative, now we have to collect at least 1 million signatures within the EU within one year. Because only then will the initiative be successful with the European Commission.

That’s why we ask everyone for their help, every signature counts!

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