charges recorded by equity method investees (refer to Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

a zero percent effective tax rate on an other-than-temporary impairment of a cost method investment (refer to Note 13 and Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

a zero percent effective tax rate on realized gains on sales of available-for-sale securities (refer to Note 2 and Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

a tax benefit of approximately $17 million due to the impact that a tax rate change had on certain deferred tax liabilities (refer to Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

a tax charge of approximately $15 million related to the recognition of a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets (refer to Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); and 

a net tax benefit of approximately $13 million related to amounts required to be recorded for changes to our uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties (refer to Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements). 

Our effective tax rate of approximately 21.7 percent for the year ended December 31, 2008, included the following: 

an approximate 20 percent combined effective tax rate on restructuring charges, other-than-temporary impairments of available-for-sale securities, contract termination fees, productivity initiatives and asset impairments recorded by the Company (refer to Note 14 and Note 15 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

an approximate 23 percent combined effective tax rate on our proportionate share of asset impairment and restructuring charges recorded by equity method investees, primarily related to impairment charges recorded by CCE (refer to Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

an approximate 24 percent combined effective tax rate on gains from divestitures (refer to Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

a tax charge of approximately $10 million related to the recognition of a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets (refer to Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); and 

a net tax benefit of approximately $5 million, primarily related to amounts required to be recorded for changes to our uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties (refer to Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements). 

Our effective tax rate of approximately 23.9 percent for the year ended December 31, 2007, included the following: 

an approximate 18 percent combined effective tax rate on restructuring charges and asset impairments recorded by the Company (refer to Note 14 and Note 15 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

an approximate 14 percent combined effective tax rate on our proportionate share of restructuring charges and tax rate changes recorded by CCE, and asset impairments recorded by CCBPI and Coca-Cola Amatil (refer to Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

an approximate 58 percent combined effective tax rate on the sale of a portion of our equity interest in Coca-Cola Amatil and Vonpar (refer to Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements); 

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