Energy tax, including the sustainable energy surcharge (ODE)

Taxation scheme with various changes over the considered period. The Regulatory Energy Tax (REB) was introduced in 1996, changing its name to Energy Tax (EB) in 2004. The objective of this policy is to boost energy savings by putting an incentive on reducing the consumption of gas and electricity, which should direct consumers toward more energy efficient behaviour. The energy tax is levied on electricity and natural gas, and the level depends on 1) the energy consumption of a customer – the higher the consumption, the lower the energy tax levied (degressive tariff structure) –, and 2) specific agreements between different sectors and the government. Industrial consumers pay a lower tariff because of their larger consumption. In addition, there is a specific clause in the Environmental Taxes Act (Article 36q), which exempts companies, that enter into a Long Term Agreement with the government, under certain conditions, from paying energy taxes on electricity consumption that goes over 10 million kWh per year and from taxes on fuel for non-energy use (feedstocks).