Tax to Depend on Eco-friendliness

8 February 2007

BRUSSELS — Starting from 2009, the car taxes in Flanders will be calculated depending of how environmentally friendly your vehicle is, De Standaard reports.

At the moment, the tax amount only depends on fiscal per-kilometre rates. In two years, how much you pay will depend on your CO2 emission and the general environmental friendliness of your car.

Environmentally friendly car-owners will get significant tax reductions. The exact technical parameters defining what vehicles are environmentally friendly will be published in several weeks, said Flemish Minister of Environment, Kris Peeters.

The new regulations are a response to the EU’s criticism of high pollution rates in Flanders. Peeters has responded to this criticism on the very day that the EU has decided to relax stricter environmental requirements for car manufacturers.

The additional environmental friendliness factors in calculating your car tax will include noise and dust emission, Peeters said.

Subject: Belgian news