Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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1353. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of plans to implement the European Commission proposal COM 2017/276 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1700/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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European Commission proposal COM (2017) 276 relates only to vehicle taxation on heavy goods vehicles and does not apply to passenger cars.   The proposal is to amend EU Directive 1999/62/EC which provides the legal framework for the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain roads and which also sets minimum rates for the vehicle taxes applied by Member States to heavy goods vehicles.   COM/2017/276 relates solely to the amendment of the vehicle tax element of the Directive. 

The proposed amendment to the Directive has not yet been brought into force.  The proposal is to gradually reduce the minimum tax levels currently set out in 1999/62/EC by 20% each year over the course of five years to bring the minimum tax to zero at the end of the process.  The reductions will take effect from 1 January each consecutive year starting on 1 January of the year following the entry into force of the proposed amended Directive and will be met by Ireland in accordance with the timelines stipulated therein.

It should be noted that the proposal provides only for minimum rates of tax and it is open to Member States to levy vehicle tax at rates above the minimum.