Taxes on the various things related to cars are a huge source of income for governments. In the Netherlands we often think that we are the absolute front runners in this, but that turns out to be wrong.
A new calculation by ACEA, the trade association for car manufacturers in the EU, shows that the highest amount of tax money is collected per car in Belgium. There, the government collects more than € 3,000 in taxes per car per year. The Netherlands is in sixth place, with an average of € 2,158 per car per year. This includes all car-related taxes, such as bpm, mrb, fuel taxes and VAT on parts and maintenance.
Average tax revenue per car per year
- Belgium: € 3,187
- Austria: € 2,678
- Finland: € 2,523
- Ireland: € 2,438
- Denmark: € 2,251
- The Netherlands: € 2,158
- Germany: € 1,963
- France: € 1,911
- Italy: € 1,727
- Sweden: € 1,561
- Portugal: € 1,528
- Greece: € 1,264
- Spain: € 1,068
Fuel
In the Netherlands, however, we do spend most of the entire EU on petrol tax. Here, the government collects € 813 per 1,000 liters of petrol in excise duties. This is the least in Hungary, with € 345 per 1,000 liters. Diesel is on average still less taxed in the EU than petrol. Italy receives the most in taxes on diesel, with € 617 per 1,000 liters. Again, it is Hungary that brings in the least, with € 317 per 1,000 liters of diesel.
Total income
The frontrunner when it comes to absolute income is Germany. In 2019, that amounted to no less than € 99.9 billion in car taxes. In the Netherlands, this amounted to € 21.5 billion that year. Ireland brought in the least, with € 6.2 billion.
Source: ACEA