Sin Tax may catch on across EU. Irish Government in two minds.

[He3]

Athens has promised to cut its deficit by four percent this year, hinting recently it may make further cuts of one billion euros.

However analysts point to the 'one-off' nature of the government's initiatives, including asset sales, sin taxes, a 90 percent levy on bank bonuses, and a clamp-down on tax-evasion – rather than measures to tackle the country's bloated structure of state spending.

EUobserver / EU staff to head to Greece amid deficit reports

Logical next step really.

Why didn't our government think of it?

[HarshBuzz]

would they be venial sin taxes or mortal sin taxes?

taxes on sins of omission at the Tribunals would surely raise a few billion...

[Digout]

A windfall tax on all the cash made by the sales in the property bubble would work, he money did not disappear ( well, FF will say it, but we know better).

[MsAnneThrope]

Some would argue that we already have a 'sin tax' here - we just call it Excise Duty instead.

There's a good recent (Dec 16th, 2009) article on this subject in the American context here:

America's sin taxes are a shame

[He3]

would they be venial sin taxes or mortal sin taxes?

...

All depends on the findings of the officials who have gone from Brussels to look into the Greek proposals. Traditional notions of sin may not be acceptable however.

Informed sources suggest that there is more likely to be a standardised EU Sin Assessment Directive (SAD).

Some derogations may be available for certain specific local sins if they can be shown to have sufficiently strong geographical ties.

[Bobert]

It sounds wonderful in theory but in practise the state should not be allowed to purposely tax bonuses as it's a disincentive.

[Harmonica]

There's a good recent (Dec 16th, 2009) article on this subject in the American context here:
[/URL]

It’s also wrong to assume that overweight people end up costing taxpayers more money.
True, obese people are more likely to develop expensive medical problems. But they are also more likely to die at younger ages. That means they spend fewer years collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits.

This is relevant to the pensions time bomb. Old people cost money so the state should not discourage unhealthy food.

[MsAnneThrope]

This is relevant to the pensions time bomb. Old people cost money so the state should not discourage unhealthy food.

Supersized fish supper for me then please Harmonica, with extra salt

[southwestkerry]

jesus lads for a moment their when I saw the word sin I panicked thinking ye all went in to creeping Jesus mode.