Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The Brussels municipalities’ plan to tax public electric vehicle charging stations at €125 per plug is facing legal challenges as it may violate laws against new taxes that harm the local economy.
The Brussels areas want to charge 125 euros per year for each plug at charging stations starting in 2025 and some places want to charge even more. But Minister Gatz says this plan goes against the law. The law from December 1, 2022 says that municipalities should not create new taxes or raise existing ones if they affect the local and regional economy. Instead municipalities can ask for financial help from the Fiscal Compensation Fund.
Will Brussels municipalities’ proposed tax on public EV charging stations violate laws against harming the local economy?
The Open VLD minister said that the Brussels municipalities are going against their promises and the law by planning to tax charging stations. He mentioned that important economic groups and the Leefmilieu Alain Maron have also criticized this tax, saying it’s bad for the economy and the move towards sustainability. Minister Sven Gatz agrees and has asked his colleague in charge of the municipalities to check the legality of the situation. Gatz will also stop payments from the fiscal compensation fund until this issue is resolved.
Vincent De Wolf, the mayor of Etterbeek, mentioned that the charging station tax is not confirmed yet. He said that while some mayors support it no final decision has been made. The topic will be revisited in the upcoming conferences in August or September. De Wolf explained that the aim of the tax is to address a different issue where owners of electric cars park at charging stations all day without paying extra parking fees preventing others from using the spots and reducing available parking spaces for the municipalities. If the tax does go through De Wolf assured that discussions will be held with the operators beforehand.
The law says that municipalities should not make new taxes or increase existing ones that affect the local economy. They can ask for financial help from the Fiscal Compensation Fund. The Open VLD minister mentioned that the Brussels municipalities are breaking their promise and the law by introducing the charging station tax. De Wolf explained that the tax is meant to address the issue of electric cars taking up charging spots all day which prevents others from using them and reduces parking spaces for the municipalities. If the tax goes through discussions will be held with the operators beforehand.
