EU to Tax Imports Based on Emissions

"The European Union's Parliament approved legislation to tax imports based on the greenhouse gases emitted to make them, clearing the final hurdle before the plan becomes law and enshrines climate regulation in the rules of global trade for the first time.

Tuesday's vote caps nearly two years of negotiations on the tax, which aims to push economies to put a price on carbon-dioxide emissions while shielding the EU's manufacturers from countries that aren't regulating emissions as strictly, or at all. The tax gives credit to countries that put a price on carbon, allowing importers of goods from those countries to deduct payments made for overseas emissions from the amount owed at the EU's borders.

The tax has raised concerns in the U.S., where companies worry the plan would erect a web of red tape for companies seeking to export to Europe. It has also drawn criticism from China and parts of the developing world, where manufacturers tend to emit more carbon dioxide than their competitors in Europe and rely more on coal-fired electricity.

Governments and lawmakers in other countries are already under pressure to follow suit. 

The U.K. is debating whether to introduce a carbon border tax, while Democrats in Congress proposed legislation to create one. Bipartisan support for the idea is growing in the U.S., said Kevin Dempsey, president of the American Iron and Steel Institute, which represents companies such as Nucor Corp. and ArcelorMittal SA.

"The U.S. and the EU have a lot in common," said Mr. Dempsey. "The threat that we both face is steel coming from other parts of the world, China and Asia, that have much higher carbon intensity."

Tuesday's news prompted fresh calls in the U.S. for a similar tax. Producers of many different commodities argue it is difficult to compete with cheap, imported products that carry higher environmental footprints. Mike Ireland, president and CEO of the Portland Cement Association, said the U.S. having a similar levy would protect domestic producers.

The White House has urged the EU to give U.S. exporters credit for U.S. climate-change regulations, which don't set a price on carbon but instead provide incentives for clean energy. But EU officials rebuffed those arguments, saying only exporters in countries that put an explicit price on carbon dioxide can enjoy a deduction from the border tax.

The EU's legislation will at first cover imports of iron, steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, electricity and hydrogen. Companies will have to begin reporting the emissions of their imported goods starting in October, including the indirect emissions released by the electricity generation that powers overseas factories.

Importers will have to begin paying the tax in 2026. That date coincides with the phasing out of free allowances given to Europe's manufacturers under the bloc's emissions trading system.

During that period, importers will pay only for the share of emissions that European manufacturers aren't getting free. That measure is intended to treat domestic and overseas manufacturers equally, key for Europe's arguments that its border tax doesn't violate World Trade Organization rules that limit discrimination against foreign firms.

Christopher Glen, director of advocacy and public relations at the Fertilizer Institute, said the new tax could affect regional pricing and availability of notoriously volatile commodities. "This is something that seems to move us in the wrong direction," he said." [1]

The rest of producers will do the same. Lithuanian companies will pay for primitive dirty technologies and low quality work force, for supporting militaristic idiots like Landsbergis' family as our rulers.

 1. World News: Bloc to Tax Imports Based on Emissions
Dalton, Matthew.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 19 Apr 2023: A.8.

 

Changes in tuition fees: higher education may become unaffordable for a part of society

 "The government has approved higher standard tuition fees - this means that starting from the next academic year, universities will receive 5 to 10 percent more funds from the state for one student's education than this year. Will studies also become more expensive for those who study with their own money?

 

     What are the standard tuition fees?

 

     "Regular prices for studies should cover the costs required for the process. Those prices consist of three main components - salaries of teachers and non-academic employees, purchases of equipment, teaching aids and incentives for students, i.e. i.e. scholarships or other support. The price coefficients consist of several things: one of the components is the size of the basic social benefits, which determines what student scholarships, disability scholarships, and social benefits will be. In addition, if wages rise, the standard price of studies also rises," explains Vice Minister of Education Gintautas Jakštas.

 

     He says that the standard price of studies has not changed for a long time, and the newly calculated ones will rise by only about 5-6 percent, so if you observe the jump in inflation, the price of studies will change quite slightly.

 

     "Now is the last year when studies are financed by only one method - there are baskets that are allocated according to the number of accepted students. According to the standard price of studies, you also receive financing. This model also has certain flaws - it does not matter how well the higher education institutions operate, it is important how many students they attract. Applicants often choose based on the city, the name of the program, not necessarily where the highest quality of teaching is.

 

     As a result, the model has been changed - from next year, funding will be allocated for the quality of studies as well, indicators such as employment of graduates, the ability to attract foreign students, the integration of the social dimension into the study program, etc. will be evaluated," the Deputy Minister of Education explains the upcoming changes.

 

     Preparation for the changes, according to G. Jakštas, took place for about two years. He says that in order to attract students, educational institutions often tried to retain not very motivated students themselves, but the changes will allow not to lose funding, even if about 20 percent of students decide that the chosen studies are not suitable for them.

 

     The cost of studies is always a sensitive topic for students

 

     The president of the student union, Paulius Vaitiekus, says that tuition fees are always a sensitive topic for students.

 

     "Based on research, we see that a significant number of students depend on the support of their relatives or the work they do during their studies. Prices can create some barriers for different groups of students. Now there is also talk about incentive funding for higher education. From next year, there will be a second round of competition, access should be easier for socially vulnerable groups, so it seems that those problems are being solved. As the basket increases, so does funding per student, but it does not necessarily directly reflect what a student needs to pay for. We also have support mechanisms, there are student loans, which unfortunately are not so popular due to the limitations of the fund itself. This could also be one of the alternatives for students to cover the cost of studies and successfully integrate into the study process", says P. Vaitiekus.

 

     The Deputy Minister of Education claims that nominal and real prices are different. Although the standard prices of studies are increasing, the real price for studies is decreasing.

 

     "Due to inflation, even the average income is growing faster than the standard price, which means that the cost of education is decreasing. Is it normal for students to pay for their studies? There were many discussions, the former government had the slogan "free bachelor's", which cannot be implemented without amending the Constitution, because it is not possible to prohibit higher education institutions from accepting students who pay for their studies", explains the interviewer.

 

     G. Jakštas says that paid studies are often chosen by those people who want to study what they like, but do not fall into the ranks of free students, and free places are created as much as there is a need for specialists. In addition, it is no secret that paid studies are often chosen by those who study poorly, do not pass the matriculation exams with the scores required to choose the desired studies.

 

     "If you've been slower than everyone else so far, they say you'll do better in higher education, we'll catch up - that's misleading, and I feel sorry for the kids whose families take out loans to pay for their studies: we see that a large percentage of graduates don't work in jobs that require a higher education , because they got a diploma but didn't get knowledge. It's the same if we enroll in a doctoral program after primary school - <...> if someone gives a diploma, we probably won't have the knowledge, because we don't have the whole path to get there", the interviewee suggests to think carefully about the study choices.

 

     G. Jakštas says that he often hears that people compare the prices of studies in Lithuania and foreign countries.

 

     "For example, they say that studying in Holland is cheaper than in Lithuania, but there is no such thing there what and how studies are paid for citizens of the European Union - they are all partially financed. For those who apply from third countries, the prices are seven times higher than in Lithuania", explains the Deputy Minister of Education.

 

     Often, young people choose to study in higher education institutions not because of personal aspirations, but because of pressure from relatives or their social environment. The student union president says he is well aware of such cases, and there are quite a few of them.

 

     Higher education institutions, receiving a basket for a student, were certainly interested in a young person choosing to study with them, which, according to P. Vaitiekus, did not always determine the quality of knowledge either.

 

     "Universities receive funding depending on incoming students. It is inevitable that this is a kind of marketing campaign to attract as many students as possible, to get as much funding as possible. This means that not all students are ready, and in some cases their retention is artificially done. This leads to an imbalance of the entire system. Sometimes those who want and are able to study well cannot do so, because there is an influx of those who simply enroll in higher education", says P. Vaitiekus.

 

     According to the interviewee, the quality of studies in Lithuania is valued very highly, diplomas are recognized not only in our country, but also abroad, and where to study - in Lithuania or in a foreign country - everyone has to choose according to their needs."

 

 

Studijų kainų pokyčiai: daliai visuomenės aukštasis mokslas gali tapti nebeįkandamas

"Vyriausybė patvirtino didesnes normines studijų kainas – tai reiškia, kad jau nuo ateinančių mokslo metų aukštosios mokyklos už vieno studento mokslus iš valstybės gaus nuo 5 iki 10 procentų daugiau lėšų nei šiemet. Ar studijos pabrangs ir studijuojantiems už savo pinigus?

Kas yra tos studijų norminės kainos?

„Studijų norminės kainos turėtų padengti procesui reikalingas sąnaudas. Tas kainas sudaro trys

pagrindinės dedamosios – dėstytojų ir neakademinių darbuotojų darbo užmokestis, įrangos, mokymo priemonių pirkimai bei paskatinimo priemonės studentams, t. y. stipendijos ar kitos paramos. Kainos koeficientai susideda iš kelių dalykų: viena iš dedamųjų yra socialinės bazinės išmokų dydis, kuris lemia, kokios bus stipendijos studentams, neįgalumo stipendijos, socialinės išmokos. Be to, jei kyla darbo užmokestis, kyla ir studijų norminė kaina“, – paaiškina švietimo viceministras Gintautas Jakštas.

Pašnekovas sako, kad jau ilgokai nekito studijų norminės kainos, o naujai skaičiuojamos kils vos apie 5–6 procentus, tad stebint, koks infliacijos šuolis, studijų kainos kis gana nežymiai.

„Dabar yra paskutiniai metai, kai studijos finansuojamos tik vienu metodu – yra krepšeliai, kurie skiriami pagal priimtų studentų skaičių. Pagal studijų norminę kainą gauni ir finansavimą. Šis modelis turi ir tam tikrų ydų – nesvarbu, kiek kokybiškai veiks aukštosios mokyklos, svarbu, kiek pritrauks studentų. Stojantieji dažnai renkasi pagal miestą, programos pavadinimą, nebūtinai ten, kur yra aukščiausia mokymo kokybė.

Dėl to modelis pakeistas – nuo kitų metų finansavimas jau bus skiriamas ir už studijų kokybę, bus vertinami tokie rodikliai, kaip absolventų įsidarbinimas, gebėjimas pritraukti užsienio studentus, socialinės dimensijos integravimas į studijų programą ir t. t.“, – būsimus pokyčius paaiškina švietimo viceministras.

Pasiruošimas pokyčiams, anot G. Jakšto, vyko apie porą metų. Pašnekovas teigia, kad norėdamos pritraukti studentų krepšelius mokymo įstaigos neretai ir pačios stengėsi išlaikyti ne itin motyvuotus studentus, tačiau pokyčiai leis neprarasti finansavimo, net jei apie 20 procentų studentų nuspręs, kad pasirinktos studijos jiems netinka.

Studijų kaina – visuomet jautri tema studentams

Studentų sąjungos prezidentas Paulius Vaitiekus sako, kad studijų kaina – besimokantiems visuomet jautri tema.

„Remdamiesi tyrimais matome, kad nemaža dalis studentų priklausomi nuo savo artimųjų paramos ar darbo, kurį atlieka studijų metu. Kainos gali sukelti tam tikrų barjerų įvairioms studentų grupėms. Dabar kalbama ir apie skatinamąjį finansavimą aukštosioms mokykloms. Nuo kitų metų – antra konkursinė eilė, prieinamumas turėtų būti paprastesnis socialiai pažeidžiamoms grupėms, tai atrodo, kad tos problemos sprendžiamos. Didėjant krepšeliui, didėja ir finansavimas vienam studentui, bet jis nebūtinai tiesiogiai atliepia tai, už ką studentui reikia sumokėti. Turime ir paramos mechanizmų, yra paskolų studentams, kurios, deja, ne tokios populiarios dėl paties fondo apribojimų. Tai irgi galėtų būti viena alternatyvų, kaip studentams padengti studijų kainą ir sėkmingai įsilieti į studijų procesą“, – sako P. Vaitiekus.

Švietimo viceministras teigia, kad nominali ir reali kainos skirtingos. Nors studijų norminės kainos kyla, reali kaina už studijas mažėja.

„Dėl infliacijos net ir vidutinės pajamos auga greičiau nei norminė kaina, tai reiškia, kad studijų kaina mažėja. Ar normalu, kad studentai sumoka už studijas? Buvo daug diskusijų, buvusi Vyriausybė turėjo šūkį „nemokamas bakalauras“, kurio neįmanoma įgyvendinti nepakeitus Konstitucijos, nes negalima uždrausti aukštosioms mokykloms priimti studentų, kurie moka už studijas“, – paaiškina pašnekovas.

G. Jakštas sako, kad neretai mokamas studijas renkasi tie žmonės, kurie nori studijuoti tai, kas jiems patinka, tačiau nepatenka į nemokamų studentų gretas, o nemokamų vietų sukurta tiek, koks yra specialistų poreikis. Be to, ne paslaptis, kad mokamas studijas neretai renkasi tie, kurie prasčiau mokosi, neišlaiko brandos egzaminų tokiais balais, kurie reikalingi norint rinktis pageidaujamas studijas.

„Jei iki šiol sekėsi lėčiau nei visiems kitiems, sako, aukštojoje mokykloje seksis geriau, pasivysime – tai yra klaidinimas, ir man gaila vaikų, kurių šeimos pasiima paskolų sumokėti už studijas: matome, kad didelė dalis baigusių studijas nedirba darbų, kur reikalingas aukštasis išsilavinimas, nes jie gavo diplomą, bet negavo žinių. Tai tas pats, jei po pradinio stotume į doktorantūrą – <...> jei kas ir duos diplomą, žinių, matyt, nebus, nes neturim iki to nueito viso kelio“, – gerai apgalvoti studijų pasirinkimus siūlo pašnekovas.

G. Jakštas sako neretai girdintis, kad žmonės lygina studijų kainas Lietuvoje ir užsienio šalyse.

„Pavyzdžiui, sako, kad Olandijoje studijos pigesnės nei Lietuvoje, bet ten nėra tokio dalyko, kaip mokamos studijos Europos Sąjungos piliečiams – jos visos iš dalies finansuojamos. Tiems, kurie stoja iš trečiųjų šalių, kainos būna ir septynis kartus didesnės nei Lietuvoje“, – paaiškina švietimo viceministras.

Neretai studijas aukštosiose mokyklose jauni žmonės renkasi ne asmeninių siekių vedini, o patirdami artimųjų ar savo socialinės aplinkos spaudimą. Studentų sąjungos prezidentas sako, kad puikiai žino tokių atvejų, ir jų yra nemažai.

Aukštosios mokyklos, gaudamos krepšelį už studentą, be abejo, buvo suinteresuotos, kad jaunas žmogus studijas rinktųsi būtent pas juos, o tai, anot P. Vaitiekaus, taip pat ne visuomet lėmė žinių kokybę.

„Aukštosios mokyklos gauna finansavimą priklausomai nuo ateinančių studentų. Neišvengiama, kad tai yra tam tikra rinkodaros kampanija, jog pritrauktum kuo daugiau studentų, gautum kuo didesnį finansavimą. Tai reiškia, kad ir studentai ne visi yra pasiruošę, tam tikrais atvejais dirbtinai daromas jų išlaikymas. Šitai lemia visos sistemos išbalansavimą. Kartais norintys ir galintys kokybiškai studijuoti to padaryti negali, nes yra antplūdis tų, kurie tiesiog stoja į aukštąją mokyklą“, – teigia P. Vaitiekus.

Anot pašnekovo, Lietuvoje studijų kokybė vertinama labai aukštai, diplomai pripažinti ne tik mūsų šalyje, bet ir užsienyje, o kur studijuoti – Lietuvoje ar svečioje šalyje, pasirinkti turi kiekvienas pagal savo poreikius.”