Consultation response: Energy tax on electricity - a review of the current system (SOU 2015:87)
IT&Telekomföretagen has responded to the referral "Energy tax on electricity - a review of the current system", (SOU 2015:87), report of the inquiry on sector-neutral and competitive energy tax on electricity.
"IT&Telecom companies are very positive about the report's proposal that computer center operations be subject to a lower energy tax.
We can conclude that pooling computing power in a large facility is both an economically advantageous solution for the industry's customers, while at the same time achieving significant environmental benefits, compared to each customer having its own data center. The IT sector is also actively working to reduce energy consumption in computers and other products and to increase the recycling of surplus energy from data centers.
We also see that it is important to have a competition-neutral taxation compared to our Nordic neighbors in order not to lose current and future investments and risk that IT companies move from Sweden with job losses as a result."
The inquiry on a sector-neutral and competitive energy tax on electricity submitted its report "Energy tax on electricity - A review of the current system" to the government on October 9, 2015.
The commission was tasked with reviewing the current system for taxing electricity. After its review, the committee has chosen to build on the current system, but proposes that a new industry - the data center industry - be added to those who only pay 0.5 öre in electricity tax. The proposal applies to certain large data centers. The reason for this is, among other things, that they are exposed to international competition and conduct electricity-intensive activities. The report also proposes that the system for energy tax on electricity be adapted to the EU by ensuring that, in principle, all companies that receive the lower tax level receive it through a refund procedure. The exception to this is really large electricity consumers. Refunds to those engaged in industrial activities will only be granted for amounts above SEK 12 000 per year.