Government Loses Billion On Tanking

The Dutch government has more than 1 billion euro annually in lost revenues, because motorists from the border areas massively stuffing their tank in Belgium or Germany. This is evident from a Thursday published research from industry organizations BOVAG and NOVE in cooperation with Trendbox. The recent increase in VAT and fuel duty has therefore disastrous consequences for hundreds of service stations in the border region, say the the organizations. The survey shows that 53 percent of the people up to 20 kilometers from the German or Belgian border, do regularly refuel in the neighboring country. For a subsequent price increase even two-third of the people say that they will refuel over the border. In the border area drive around 1.5 million passenger cars and BOVAG has calculated that the behavior of consumers leads to almost 1.2 billion liters. These liters the Dutch drivers do not buy in their own country, but in Belgium or Germany. "That cost the Treasury nearly 820 million in lost excise and over 344 million in lost VAT. The government also put the jobs of thousands of people at stake. " The difference in price for a liter of gasoline (euro95) is an average of 16 cents to 14 cents with Belgium and Germany. New tax increases on 1 January 2014 would destroy a large part of 890 service stations in the border region, of which 560 are manned says the BOVAG.