Removal of the tax, which is set to pave the way for jobs and growth, will take place in two stages with a 50% reduction as of 1 July 2013, and full elimination as of 1 January 2014.
A pioneer of soft drinks taxation, with one of the highest excises on soft drinks in Europe, the Danish government made the announcement this week as part of an agreement on initiatives designed to stimulate favourable conditions for growth and employment in Denmark.
“This decision is the result of concerted efforts to highlight the negative impact of the tax,” said Niels Hald, secretary general of the Danish soft drinks association, Bryggeriforeningen. “In taking this step, the Danish government acknowledged the regressive nature of the tax, its negative impact on regional jobs close to the borders and the adverse environmental consequences of border trade.”
“Soft drinks taxes are on the wane and being voted down by governments and parliaments across Europe,” said UNESDA secretary general Alain Beaumont. “They have not proven to achieve any public health objectives and they destroy jobs and economic value.”
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