Incorrect carbon emissions data costs Belgium dear

A total of 11 EU countries were surveyed. In Belgium alone the exchequer has missed out in around 212 million euro in revenue.
When you buy a new car, you pay a one-off tax to put it on the road.

The tax is calculated according to the level of carbon emitted by the vehicle. However, there is a big difference between emissions in the real world and the level of emissions measured during laboratory tests.

According to a report by the International Council on Clean Transportation that was published in 2016, the difference is on average 42%.

This has a negative impact on revenue levels for the Exchequer. It is estimated that this is to the tune of 40 billion euro across the EU.
In Belgium the figure for 2016 alone was 212 million euro. The Flemish Green MEP Bart Staes told VRT News that 687 million euro was lost due to inaccurate carbon emissions figures in the period between 2010 and 2016.

The Greens want carbon emissions to be measured in real conditions and no longer in a lab. However, the idea is not to raise more tax revenue, but rather to encourage people to buy cars that emit less carbon. The Greens believe that consumers that know the actual emissions level in advance will be more incline to buy a car that emits less and will pay less tax.

Last year the emissions test were made stricter. However, the Greens believe that while this is a step in the right direction it is only part of the solution.