2024.04.23
The Chairman: Political workshop and action now
Already when the electronics tax, also known as the chemicals tax, was introduced in 2017, there was widespread questioning. The state's own authorities, the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish Customs Administration, advised against its introduction. Extensive investigations by the Swedish Chemicals Agency and others have shown the ineffectiveness of the tax when it comes to trying to change the flame resistance of white goods and home electronics. The Swedish market has proven too small to control the global production of electronics. Swedish Trade has shown that jobs are being lost in the Swedish trade in white goods and home electronics, and several industry organizations have tried to get politicians to do something to solve this situation. But instead, over time, the tax has become even more burdensome for Swedish actors. Ultimately, it has also driven inflation and placed a burden on the national economy.
Constant tax increases
Since August 2017, the electronics tax rate has also been increased by no less than 70 percent. For a standard household washing machine, the tax will go from SEK 320 in 2017 to SEK 543.53 in 2024. VAT is added to this. It is SEK 543.53 that consumers outside the country do not have to pay. Swedish competitiveness is thus lost.
Consumers pay an extra 2.6 billion
APPLiA's annual report on the electronics tax in 2023 shows that the total tax collection has increased from 1.3 billion at the time of its introduction to 2.0 billion in 2023. The tax collection this year is expected to reach a record sum of 2.6 billion as a result of a sharp index increase at the turn of the year of just over 9 percent and the abolition of the right to deduct for large parts of the industry's range from July 1, 2023. Who pays the tax? Swedish consumers, of course.
Politicians ready for abolition
We now more often hear politicians claim that "the tax should never have been introduced" and there is an increased awareness of the ineffectiveness and harmfulness of the tax in the parties that are holding the reins today.
The Moderates has at its latest party meeting adopted the motion from the party district in Västra Götaland to "immediately abolish the electronics tax" with a large majority. Now it is up to the governing party to show concrete action ahead of this year's autumn budget. See our previously published interview with Sten Bergheden (m) in a replay on the right.
From Christian Democrats The criticism of the electronics tax has also been clear and is in line with the criticism that the electronics tax has received in previous evaluations of the tax. KD thus places itself among the parties that want to see the electronics tax abolished. Not least because the time for placard politics is over. Now the facts matter. See our interview with MP Larry Söder (KD) on the left.
Sweden Democrats sees the electronics tax as a greenwashed fiscal tax introduced by the previous S/MP government. The tax is also ineffective and affects Swedish consumers with higher prices. In its previous budget motions, SD has chosen to abolish the electronics tax. Hear more about this from MP Eric Westroth, member of the Tax Committee here.
Time for a ”workshop” and concrete action
It is now time for all good forces to gather around a demand for a decision to abolish the electronics tax in the government's autumn budget. This would free up forces that would instead focus entirely on intensified EU work to strengthen the existing European directives and regulations on the flame retardant content of electronic products. Only then will we move from Swedish greenwashing to a true European green workshop.
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