Mobility Basic Figures

Belgium has a leading position in Europe regarding the number of cars per capita. In 2008 there were 5,139,719 cars (6,250,000 total vehicle fleet) in Belgian (according DIV database). In the last 10 years the number of cars increased by 14.3%. Every 10th Belgian currently possess in average 4.8 cars. Approximately 500,000 new cars are registered (Statistics and Economic Information, 2008). More than half (57.4%) of the total passenger car fleet has been a diesel. This is unique in the world. Currently, 78.6% of new cars sold have diesel engines. Regarding the development of alternative car types LPG driven cars have increased from about 60,000 in 2000 to more than 74,000 in 2002. After 2002 the numbers decreased to 51,000 in 2007. In February 2011 NGVA Europe, the Natural & bio Gas Vehicle Association, drives the first CNG powered vehcile in Brussels, a Fiat Punto Evo Natural Power. The stock of electric cars has remained constantly in very small volumes below 100 units. Furthermore, there are about one hundred cars running with natural gas.

Considering the trucks, in 2008 741.344 vehicles were registered in the name of a company. In this year from 500,000 newly registered vehicles are about 40% in the name of a company.

The federal government plans to purchase and use electrically powered vehicles in order to stimulate the Belgian fleet greening.

On www.metanoauto.com/modules.php there are listed 4 biogas refuelling stations in Belgium (Brugge, Maastricht, Antwerp, Mechelen). At the webpage www.primagaz.be/autogas/autogasstations-in-belgie/index.htm there are listed 179 LPG refuelling stations (the European Technology Atlas lists more than 400 LPG refuelling stations) in various regions in Belgium, i.e.3 in the Brussels region, 7 in the Waals-Braband region, 18 in the Antwerp region, 9 in the Vlaams-Brabant region, 22 in the Luik region, 22 in the Namen region, 36 in the Henegouwen region, 5 in the Luxemburg region, 21 in the West-Flandern region, 15 in the East-Flandern region and 21 in the Limburg region. On February 2011 DATS 24, the Belgian filling station operator of the Colryt Group, inaugurated the first commercial CNG refuelling station for Belgium in Halle (16 km south of Brussels).

No refuelling stations for Flexifuel E85 and biodiesel are listed. Furthermore, there are listed no public charging points for electric vehicles in Belgium.

The only hydrogen station in Belgium and along the motorway in Europe is that of Total in Ruisbroek along the Autobahn E19. This station is developed in cooperation between Total and BMW.

The webpage www.lemnet.org/LEMnet_Land.asp shows 13 publically accessible recharging stations for electro vehicles in Belgium. In 2011 there is started a project by SNCB/NMBS, Siemens and the Belgium Ministry of Economy to vonvert the existing Park and Ride systems on railway stations towards a so called "Plug and Ride" system. In 34 railway stations all around the country there wille be established specific parking places with refuelling plugs for electro vehicles (the start was made in 2011 with the stations Gent, Liege and Brussels).

Belgium has introduced a fuel economy label, which helps car buyers easily assess the impact on climate change of different cars based on a colored scale. The colors range from GREEN for cars with the lowest CO2 emissions (highest 'mpg') through the colors of the spectrum to RED for the most highly polluting vehicles (generally the lowest 'mpg'). The introduction of this classification system for CO2 emissions follows a European directive. The European Directive (99/94/EG), which is in the form of a Royal Decree - KE dated 5 September 2005 was transposed into Belgian law, in particular at the reduction of CO2 emissions through better information to consumers. This legislation sets standards for car dealers for information on the sale of new cars. Any dealer must affix to each model for sale a "tag". The schema was used in the past for public procurement specification and awarding (currently it is substituted by the so called “ecoscore” schema) as well as for setting tax incentives.

The free accessible database “ecoscore” rates vehicles according to their environmental impact. It was developed and is maintained in cooperation of the three Belgian regions with initiatives and research institutes to support product choice in administrations, economy and households. Ecoscore contains cars and small vans, motorbikes, mopeds and some lorries. It gives basic information on the environmental performance of the vehicle of interest and, based on this information, a ranking from 0-100 points with 0 points being the worst grading. The assessment bases on:

• list item greenhouse effect (50%)

• list item emissions of air pollutants with respect to human health (20%) and environment (20%)

• list item noise emissions of the engine (10%)

The database is managed by VITO, an independent research organization, who feed the database with data from the Belgian Mobility Administration.

The federal government took several measures encouraging the purchase of vehicles with low CO2 emissions on basis of the so called registration tax:

• Discount on the purchase of a car with low CO2 – emissions. A new car with less than 105 grams CO2/km emissions enjoys a reduction of 15% of the purchase price including VAT (up to a non-indexed amount of 3,280 EUR) a new car with105-115 g CO2/km get a  reduction of 3% of the purchase price including VAT included, claim (for a non-indexed maximum amount of 615 EUR). When buying a new diesel car, which comes with a particulate filter, the Belgian government also granted a non-indexed tax reduction in the amount of 1,502 EUR. The discount will be granted, if the car has less than 130 g CO2 / km and a maximum of 5 mg particles / km.

• Individuals receive from January 2010 a tax credit of 15% of the purchase price with a maximum of 3,280 EUR for the purchase of an electric car, a car for dual use, an electric minivan, etc.. This measure was provided by a separate law (law on tax and other provisions - Gazette December 31, 2009). For the years 2010-2012 the nominal tax ceiling rose to 30% of the purchase price with a maximum of 6,500 EUR, indexed to 2010. This means a maximum of 8,990 EUR. This maximum is obtained with a purchase price of 29,967 EUR including VAT. The tax incentive applies only to vehicles powered by an electric motor, not for so-called plug -in hybrids.

• Tax deductibility for the purchase of company cars. When purchasing a new business car, the deduction, other than the cost of fuel, depend on CO2 emissions: <105 g <120 g = 90%; 105-115 g 120-130 g = 80%; 115-145 g 130-160 g = 75%; 145-175 g 160-190 g = 70%; > 175 g> 190 g = 60% (Program Law of April 27, 2007, and Framework Law of December 30, 2009).

• Solidarity contribution: The employer that provides its employees, directly or indirectly, a vehicle not only for professional use must pay an extra fee (solidarity contribution), which is differentiated according to environmental impacts. This contribution will cost at least EUR 20.83 a month and is calculated as follows: Gasoline vehicles: ((Y x EUR 9) - 768] / 12; Diesel vehicles: ((Y x 9 €) - 600] / 12; LPG vehicles: ((Y x EUR 9) - 990] / 12 where Y is the CO2 emission values (gr / km). There is an emission standard value of 182 for petrol cars and 165 diesel vehicles. Pure electric vehicles are subject to the minimum contribution. (Programme Law of December 27, 2004).

• Calculating the benefits of any kind given to companies based on CO2 emissions (Programme Law of December 30, 2009).

Since 2002 the Belgian regions (Flemish, the Brussels Capital and the Walloon Region) are responsible for the vehicle tax base, tax rates and exemptions. Currently, the car tax in the three regions are fully aligned. Additionally, there is an agreement between the three regions that this status will continue. The basis for the classic car tax is increased according to the CO2 emissions.

For the investment in public accessible"charging points” for electric vehicles a tax credit of 40% is given to individuals with a maximum of 180 EUR, indexed to a maximum of 250 EUR for the year 2010. Companies that install an electric charging station can benefit from increased investment allowances and accelerated depreciation, converted to the current rates which amount to 15.5 %. Moreover, these stations are amortized on an accelerated period of 2 years. Initially, these measures only for the costs or investments in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The current system of the fuel excise tax favours environmental fuels, i.e. gasoline is taxed with 0.592 EUR/litres, diesel with 0.318 EUR/litres bud LPG enjoys a tax exemption as well as diesel mixtures with min. 4.29% biodiesel share.

A so called ecology premium is intended to be a financial incentive for companies that achieve environmental investments in Flanders. Since 2006 the Flemish Government provides a budget to ecology premiums for the installation of particulate filters for trucks with Euro I, II or III engine. In 2010 the ecology premium system was extended for new technologies. A technology is eligible for premium ecology if it is listed as one of the 150 favourable technologies. In the mobility sector premiums are given i.e. to fuel cell system to power transport, EEV engines for heavy vehicles, charging system for electric or hybrid vehicles, refuelling infrastructure for CNG or refuelling infrastructure for bioethanol.

The Belgian federal government has its own sustainable public procurement policy. Principally, there should be applied a 15% valuation of environmental criteria for the contract award as well as it is recommended to apply the EU toolkid for green public procurement, which i.e. defines more detailed award criteria for public transport contracts or waste collection trucks. The Belgian federal government subscribes to the goal of the European Council and the European Commission of 50% sustainable procurement procedures for all federal public procurement. Sustainable procurement procedures are compliant with the instructions given in the federal circulars concerning sustainable public procurement. Circular 307quinquies of 13 July 2009 – Acquisition of private vehicles intended for government services and for institutions of public utility (“Belgisch Staatsblad” [Belgian Official Gazette], 3 August 2009) includes detailed instructions and specifications for the vehicle purchase of all federal public services. According to this the award of public contracts should be done on basis of the ecoscore schema. In all three of the Belgium regions there was set up cooperation (cooperation agreement 2008-2013) with regard to the inclusion of the ecoscore system in public procurement. From 2010 a minimum ecoscore for cars of 70 is set as target value for the purchase of public institutions. Vehicles with an ecoscore lower than 50 (on a scale of 100) should be avoided.

Circular 307quinquies of 13 July 2009 – Acquisition of private vehicles intended for government services and for institutions of public utility

Federaal Actieplan Duurzame Overheidsopdrachten, 2009 – 2011

Bepalen van een Ecoscore voor voertuigen en toepassing van deze Ecoscore ter bevordering van het gebruik van milieuvriendelijke voertuigen”

Sustainable Public Procurement-fiche: Environmentally friendly car sharing services

Sustainable Public Procurement-fiche: Environmental friendly passenger cars

Bijlage bij thema Mobiliteit – Gemeenten; HANDLEIDING OPNAME MILIEUASPECTEN IN HET BESTEK VOERTUIGEN; Samenwerkingsovereenkomst 2008- 2013

Bijlage bij thema Mobiliteit – Gemeenten; VOORBEELDBESTEK AANKOOP MILIEUVRIENDELIJK VOERTUIG; Samenwerkingsovereenkomst 2008- 2013

Auto's - mini's

Auto's -compact

Cars - kleine gezinswagens

Auto's – gezinswagens

Auto's - monovolumes - 5 plaatsen

Auto's - monovolumes 6 plaatsen +

CO 2-Gids van de auto

AUTO EN GEZONDHEID EINDRAPPORT

Evaluation reduction potential of possible additional actions around environmental vehicles and fuels , in January 2001