Private use pick-up trucks to lose tax advantage
The Flemish government has plans to tax pick-up trucks differently in future. At present all buyers of such trucks enjoy a tax advantage. The one-off car registration tax isn’t due even if the vehicle is intended for private use. Moreover, road tax too is cheaper than for ordinary cars.
Flemish finance minister Diependaele (nationalist) is eager to abolish this advantage for drivers who only use the vehicle for non-professional purposes.
“Use a pick-up truck for personal use and you will pay the same rates as all other people. Use the truck for professional purposes and you can continue to enjoy the tax advantages” says Diependaele.
The measure will only affect newly-registered vehicles and the Flemish government will have to strike a deal with the country’s other regional governments so that the regulations apply nationwide.
The sale of pick-ups has trebled over the past decade. For three years now pick-up truck sales have topped 7,000 a year.
Car registration tax on a large model like a Dodge RAM could reach 11,000 euros due to its impact on the environment. Road tax should be around 4,000 euros annually, while drivers are now only paying 147 euros.