Sources

There are a number of sources for the information in this database:

The information on environmentally related taxes was in the first hand collected from ministries of finance in OECD member countries. Information on environmentally related fees and charges was in many cases later supplied by persons working in the respective ministries of environment or similar.

In 1998 a survey of tradable permits systems, deposit refund systems and environmentally motivated subsidies in OECD member countries was undertaken. This information was entered into the database structure and sent to delegates to the Working Party on National Environmental Policy (WPNEP) under OECD's Environment Policy Committee for verification, update and completion. The delegates were also asked to provide information on voluntary policy approaches, which were not included in the 1998 survey.

For most of the countries that are members of, or related to the EEA, but not being members of the OECD, the initial data source was the "Sourcebooks on Economic Instruments"information prepared by the Regional Environment Centre in Szentendre, Hungary, which also entered the relevant information into the database structure. This information was sent to the National Focal Points of the EEA in the respective countries for verification, update and completion.

Both the WPNEP delegates and the National Focal Points were informed that the information that had been pre-entered into the database would be made available on Internet, under the assumption that it is still valid unless corrections/modifications had been received.

In March 2005, a major effort was started to update all the information in the database to be valid as of 01.01.2005 (or later). For this purpose, a password-protected web-site has been developed where autorised contacts in the respective countries can enter new or additional information on line. By clicking here, you can see a table that details the extent to which updates have been received.

Contacts

OECD and EEA welcome comments and questions regarding this database. Please send your e-mail to Nils Axel Braathen at OECD or to Hans Vos at EEA.