CO2 is fast becoming the focus for the European Commission when it comes to controlling the environmental impact of motor vehicles across the region.
Whereas individual countries have taken their own initiatives in order to penalise high carbon emitting vehicles and to encourage the take-up of lower carbon alternatives, through personal and business tax regimes, we now see a clear direction coming from the EU.
Proposals for introducing direct taxation on fuels, relating to their energy content and carbon levels are a clear signal to all businesses that the future must be low carbon. Taxation of around €20 per tonne could be in place as early as 2013.

