Dutch govt. collects over €25 billion in environmental tax

The Dutch government collected 25.3 billion euros in environmental taxes and levies last year, 3 percent more than in 2015, according to figures Statistics Netherlands released on Monday. Households carried almost two thirds of that amount.

The state treasury received 20.7 billion euros from environmental taxes, which are mostly linked to the ownership and use of cars and other vehicles and energy consumption. The other 4.6 billion euros came from environmental levies, which are imposed for the financing of specific environmental measures, such as waste levies, sewage rights and waste water levies, according to the stats office.

Excise duties on fuel brought in 8.1 billion euros, motor vehicles taxes brought in 5.6 billion euros and energy taxes brought in 5 billion euros last year. With an increase of 10.7 percent, energy tax revenues rose the most compared to 2015.

The revenues of taxes on newly purchased cars and motorcycles (BPM) increased by 6.1 percent to 1.6 billion euros. Households spent 28 percent more on this tax, businesses 7 percent less. According to Statistics Netherlands, the increase in this tax can partly be attributed to rate increases. For the BPM, the CO2 limits for petrol and diesel cars were tightened last year and the rates of the three highest categories of CO2 emissions were increased.

Income from coal taxes decreased from 195 million euros in 2015 to 3 million euros in 2016. Last year the coals used in coal-fired power plants were exempt from coal taxes.