The key challenges of Environmental Taxes for a greener and more progressive economy: the case of Plastic Packaging Taxes arising in the European Union

Creating a historical timeline with past and ongoing internationally environmental debates, this study explains the urgent need of nations to set goals combating plastic pollution, which significantly started in 1972 during the United Nations Conference held in Stockholm. Since the European Union commenced to charge its Member States a contribution based on non-recycled plastic packaging levels as a new revenue source for the period of 2021 to 2027, the research question of this paper takes the case of Plastic Packaging Taxes to explain how they can address the process of development to a greener and more progressive economy beyond only indirectly fundraising the European Union revenues. Therefore, this thesis takes both Italian and Spanish legislations, which have already established the tax to be in force in January 2023, to analyse likely impacts and key aspects to be taken into account for future policy adjustments and improvements. Moreover, it is expected that other Member States use these published legislations as reference to formulate their own laws tackling plastic waste levels during the following years. Considering that taxes based on consumption are often regressive, which affects low-income households in higher proportions, this study argues that nations must take care of demand elasticity, incidence and the target players among the plastic chain when designing the new tax reform. Although introducing a new tax is normally not well accepted among society, governments must also provide transparency and sense of fairness to expect a behaviour change that improves environmental conditions and promotes an inclusive and sustainable economic growth.