WRITTEN QUESTION E-1566/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(24 May 2000)

Subject: Tax concessions for diesel fuel

More than half the cars sold in the Belgian federation last year use diesel. This makes Belgian the second most diesel-mad country (after Austria). There are scarcely any diesel cars in the Scandinavian countries, the UK and the US.

Diesel emissions are not only the principal source of nitrogen oxide which is one of the key factors in global environmental problems such as ozone pollution and acid rain. What is more harmful are emissions of soot and particulates, or in scientific jargon PM10 (particles smaller than 10 micrometers), Soot particles carry dangerous substances such as heavy metals and carcinogenic polycyclical aromatic hydrocarbons.

The success of diesel in the Belgian federation is due to the difference in prices. Thanks to artificially low levels of duty, diesel is ca. BEF 10 cheaper than petrol, although it costs more to refine diesel than petrol. The system of tax concessions for diesel means that there is little hope for cleaner technologies (such as the lean mix petrol engine).

1. Does the Council acknowledge that diesel is the main source of nitrogen oxide? If not, what are the Council's scientific arguments for not branding diesel as the main source of nitrogen oxide?

2. Does the Council acknowledge that diesel is one of the key causes of high emissions of soot (PM10)? If not, what are the Council's scientific arguments for not branding diesel as the main source of high PM10 concentrations?

3. Does the Council consider that the tax concessions for diesel fuel in the Belgian federation (see above) are in line with the search for cleaner technologies, given that the tax system does not in any way encourage the sale of clean technology cars in the Belgian federation? If so, what are the Council's grounds for advocating tax concessions for diesel, given that the tax system does not in any way encourage the sale of clean technology cars in the Belgian federation? If not, will the Council take action to end the tax concessions for diesel?

Reply

(28 September 2000)

1. The Council is aware of the problem caused by nitrogen oxide emissions and particulates. Under the co-decision procedure, the Council and the European Parliament adopted Directive 98/69/EC of 13 October 1998 relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles(1), which represents a further significant step towards reducing these emissions.

As for further measures to be taken in the future, the Commission is asked in that Directive to submit further proposals for legislation to come into force after 2005 which consider, inter alia:

- The contribution of possible measures, including those relating to fuels and vehicles, to the attainment of longer term Community objectives on air quality, taking into account technological developments and the results of new air pollution-related research including effects of particulate matter on human health,

- The potential and feasibility of local measures to reduce vehicle emissions; in this context the contribution of transport and other policy measures such as traffic management, urban public transport, enhanced inspection and maintenance and vehicle scrappage schemes should be evaluated,

- The particular situation of captive fleets and the potential for emission reductions related to the use by such fleets of fuels with very stringent environmental specifications.

2. The system of tax concessions for diesel fuel referred to by the Honourable Member is based on Council Directive 92/82/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the approximation of the rates of excise duties on mineral oils. The Council cannot consider making any amendment to that Directive unless it has a proposal from the Commission as a basis. The Council has not received any such proposal.

(1) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998.