FEATURING:
- Claudio Agostini, Tax Policy Advisor, Chilean Ministry of Finance
- Amanda Glassman, Executive Vice President and Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development
- Ruud De Mooij, Advisor, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund
- Roberto Schatan, Senior Economist, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund
MODERATOR:
- Chris Lane, NonResident Fellow, Center for Global Development
ABOUT THE EVENT
Excise taxes have traditionally been reliable sources of government revenue, but they are also used as a means of discouraging the consumption of products that harm health or the environment—tobacco, alcohol, fuel products and, more recently, sugar-sweetened beverages. How should policymakers determine the level of excises to correctly price harmful products for their economic and social impact? What are the challenges for implementation? And, does the COVID-19 pandemic strengthen or weaken the case for using taxes to promote better health and fill revenue gaps?
At the request of the Minister of Finance of Chile, a joint team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reviewed Chile’s tax corrective excise taxes—or “health taxes”— estimating the total social cost of the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, sugar, and fuel in comparison with current excise tax collections. This event will highlight key findings and recommendations of the IMF-OECD mission, examine challenges and opportunities for implementation facing Chile, and reflect on the broader lessons for policymakers in enacting effective health taxes.
