VRT Scam, EU Has warned to get rid to no avail

pedro ferio-vti

I found this article about the vrt scam, the irish and english **** wont get
rid of vrt, the eu want to bring in a fairer tax based on emissions whereas
the irish and english dont give a **** all they want is money money money to
fund there brown envelopes typical! **** the environment...**** the citizens..
gimme money! You might be interested in this Ando..........

"McCreevy backs British on VRT plan


By Ann Cahill, Europe Correspondent
FINANCE Minister Charlie McCreevy has backed a British veto on plans to abolish
Vehicle Registration Tax on cars.The proposal being drawn up by the European
Commission would scrap VRT, which at present adds from 21% to 30% to the cost
of cars in Ireland, and replace it with an annual road tax.

VRT brings in almost 900 million a year to the Irish Exchequer, which the Department
of Finance says is equal to 2% on the standard rate of income tax and is money
it could not do without.

Similar recent moves towards creating a single market, such as the harmonisation
of taxes on diesel and unleaded petrol, have met with stiff opposition from
member states.

However, Internal Commissioner Frits Bolkestein insists that countries have
committed themselves to such a course of action under Article 93 of the Treaty.
Harmonisation is therefore an obligation, not an option, according to Mr Bolkestein.


The new VRT proposals would allow Irish motorists to buy a car on the continent
and bring it into the country without having to pay a second tax on it, as they
do at present.

It is the latest plank in the Commission's plan to create a single European
market for cars. The price of vehicles varies hugely from one country to another,
partly because of the different wholesale prices charged by manufacturers and
partly because of local taxes.

But Mr McCreevy and British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown are both
against giving the EU any say in taxes, claiming that tax is a sovereign matter
for national governments.

Mr McCreevy's spokesperson said yesterday, "We would have grave problems with
it because of sovereignty and the loss of tax. We share the British view in
relation to the sovereignty issue."

The European Commission says Ireland need not suffer a drop in income as VRT
would be abolished and replaced by an environment-friendly road tax, based on
a car's carbon dioxide emissions of the car.

Ironically, the proposal is based on the system in Britain, which is the only
EU country not to charge VRT but where road tax is based on CO2 emissions.


However, the two British commissioners, Chris Patten and Neil Kinnock, told
fellow commissioners they were not in favour of the change and would block it
at Commission level. As a result, announcement of the proposal has been put
off.

When and if the commissioners agree to it, there will be consultations with
consumers, the car industry and other interested groups before it is drawn up
as a firm plan. It would then have to be adopted by the 15 member state governments
unanimously before becoming law.

This is the latest in a series of European Commission proposals to free up the
vehicle industry and create a single market. Last week they announced plans
they say would save motorists 6,000 on the average family car and open the way
for car supermarkets.

This week they put forward proposals to harmonise the tax levied on diesel and
unleaded petrol."

The moral of the story is.........never buy a brand new car

sceptre

Originally posted by pedro ferio-vti
The moral of the story is.........never buy a brand new car

It affects everyone who buys a used car as well though.

MadsL

(nterstingly enough, when I just paid an ridiculously large VRT check for my newly imported car, they were VERY concerned that they had the emissions data...so this tax could be sooner than we think. (hope so)

Victor

Originally posted by pedro ferio-vti
the irish and english dont give a **** all they want is money money money to fund there brown envelopes typical!

The lack of competition argument aside, VRT takes money away from dealers meaning they have less money for brown envelopes.

Originally posted by pedro ferio-vti
This week they put forward proposals to harmonise the tax levied on diesel and unleaded petrol."

Charlie won't liek that as out petrol and diesel are nice little export earners (although it would doubly help us to come in line with Kyoto).

Silvera

If VRT is abolished the govt will find another way to get the money from motorist's. Remember VRT was only introduced about 10 years ago ..... it used to be called ? (can't recall previous name just now).

Sure poor ol' Charlie needs a few bob to give to his pals when they want to build something - like the €15 million he gave to Punchestown racecourse :mad:

Lord Nikon

If VRT brings in 900 million for the Exchequer, and then all of a sudden it's gone, how will it be replaced?

I'll bet you anything that the motorist will foot the bill, in either increased insurance premiums, a hiking of petrol & diesel prices or tolled roads.

Victor

Originally posted by Silvera
If VRT is abolished the govt will find another way to get the money from motorist's. Remember VRT was only introduced about 10 years ago ..... it used to be called ? (can't recall previous name just now).

IIRC it had been an excise duty like on petrol and cigarettes.

Originally posted by neuromancer
If VRT brings in 900 million for the Exchequer, and then all of a sudden it's gone, how will it be replaced?

Increased road tax and petrol duty / carbon tax, which will hurt business.

pedro ferio-vti

Originally posted by neuromancer
If VRT brings in 900 million for the Exchequer, and then all of a sudden it's gone, how will it be replaced?

Probably by gearknob tax or something similar.......... I wonder if this country will ever NOT be run by fcuking crooks...

sceptre

Originally posted by pedro ferio-vti
Probably by gearknob tax or something similar.......... I wonder if this country will ever NOT be run by fcuking crooks...

Think of all the money that could be made from a window tax on cars...

(and don't forget a car radio licence)

pedro ferio-vti

Originally posted by sceptre
Think of all the money that could be made from a window tax on cars...

(and don't forget a car radio licence)

And do you know what? I bet half the monkeys inhabiting this sh1tty country would pay it if the government made it compulsory..........

I'm actually beginning to get sick listening to myself on how fcuked up this country is....... there's way too much legislation that needs changing.....way too many crooked fcukers that need to be removed from government and beaten to within an inch of their life with wet scallions and WAY too much investment needs to be put into infrastructure........

With all of these wonderful things in mind.....Where do you even BEGIN to remedy the situation?

Peter

Victor

Originally posted by pedro ferio-vti
And do you know what? I bet half the monkeys inhabiting this sh1tty country would pay it if the government made it compulsory..........

and WAY too much investment needs to be put into infrastructure........

You want to cut taxes and raise spending? Are your initials CJH?

pedro ferio-vti

Originally posted by Victor
You want to cut taxes and raise spending? Are your initials CJH?

Not necessarily, but i'd like to see the already incredulous amounts of money being used more effectively and wisely. Throwing money at a problem doesn't fix it in most situations, our health service is proof enough of that, we just need to make sure its being put to good use and not being squandered.

Peter

PS My initials aren't CJH. :rolleyes:

Capt'n Midnight

Originally posted by Silvera
If VRT is abolished the govt will find another way to get the money from motorist's. Remember VRT was only introduced about 10 years ago ..:

No VRT was not introduced 10 years ago.
All that happened is that the EU would not let us continue to impose such a high level of VAT on cars so we followed the example of Denmark and changed part of the VAT into VRT ..

Symantics really.

Silvera

VRT is what used to be called 'excise duty' or 'import duty'