Health Taxes and NCD Prevention

Health taxes are generally defined as fiscal instruments designed to promote public health. Such taxes primarily target the consumption of products with harmful health effects, including tobacco, alcohol, and some foods products. While the primary objective of health taxes is to influence consumption patterns, they also generate government revenue, which can be used to offset healthcare costs arising from the consumption of unhealthy commodities.   

In the forthcoming webinar we aim to examine the concept of health taxation in greater depth, addressing two central questions: what constitutes health taxation, and what are the benefits and challenges? Particular attention will be devoted to the ways in which European member states can employ health taxation as a policy tool.  

The webinar will feature Professor Franco Sassi who is currently Chair of International Health Policy and Economics and Director of the Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation at Imperial College Business School. Professor Sassi has been contracted by the JA PreventNCD to lead the work on Health Taxation and will give an introduction to health taxes.  

Michele Cecchini, who is responsible for the OECD programme of work on Public Health, will present perspectives on the health and economic dividends of health taxes.  

Finally, Oliver Gainford from the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), will provide the perspectives from DG TAXUD on the use of health taxes in the European member states.   

The webinar will be moderated by Arnfinn Helleve from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, who serves as leader of Work Package on Regulation and Taxation in JA PreventNCD.  

This webinar is relevant to policymakers, civil society organizations, and academic stakeholders engaged in public health.  

Join us in this JA PreventNCD webinar and register here.