Formation of the incentive role of the environmental tax in Ukraine

Abstract

Purpose. Developing trends for increasing the effectiveness of environmental tax as an institutional means of environmental protection and optimization of the tax burden. Methodology. A set of scientific methods and approaches was used in the research, which provided an opportunity to form a conceptually integrated scientific work. For this purpose, the following was used: content analysis method to study the regulatory framework of the environmental tax; abstract-logical approach to analyze the differences between the revenues of the environmental tax to the budget and the amount of funds planned and funds spent on environmental protection; integrated system approach to compare environmental taxation in the European Union and Ukraine; method of logical generalization to make proposals on how to increase the efficiency of the environmental tax, optimize the tax burden and align with Ukraines international obligations. Findings. A comparative analysis of environmental taxation in the European Union and Ukraine is conducted. The existing differences by types of environmental tax, the share of these types in the total amount of environmental tax and the purpose of environmental taxation in European countries and Ukraine are indicated. The dynamics of ecological tax revenues to the State budget and budget expenditures for environmental protection is studied. Trends in the dynamics of taxation, in particular, in creating a gap between revenues and expenditures are established. There is a tendency to form a significant gap in the amounts of environmental tax paid by enterprises. It is stated that only ten enterprises pay more than half of the countrys environmental tax. Originality. The necessity of formation of the role of ecological taxes stimulating preservation of the environment is pointed out and particular directions of formation of such incentives are offered. Proposals for environmental tax policy have been developed. It is stated that the increase in the environmental tax should be consistent with the overall tax burden per capita. Increasing the environmental tax also requires a preliminary detailed analysis of how the impact of its increase will affect each large enterprise and industry and determination of approaches to increasing the environmental tax differentiated according to transparent principles. Practical value. Recommendations are provided on how to increase the efficiency of the environmental tax as an institutional means of environmental protection, specific steps are proposed to optimize the tax burden and promote the norms approved by the Paris Climate Agreement and the Association Agreement with the EU.