A recent study of 12 Western Europe countries reveals that 11 have increased taxes on refined products during the past year. Only Germany's fuel taxes remain unchanged.
The study was performed by Oil Price Assessments Ltd. (OPAL), Walton-on-Thames, U.K. German newsletter Erdl Informationsdienst reported OPAL's results.
OPAL studied taxes on super-grade leaded gasoline, unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel, light heating oil, and two types of heavy heating oil (normal and low-sulfur). Table 1 lists taxes on these fuels in the 12 countries studied, and the changes in these taxes since January 1995.
Tax increases
Of the 12 countries studied, all but Germany increased gasoline taxes. The largest increases were seen in:
- Denmark, which in creased taxes on unleaded by 7/l.
- Italy, which showed increases of 6/l. and 7/l., respectively, for superleaded and unleaded.
- Belgium, where in creases were the same as in Italy.
- U.K., where taxes on both grades increased 5/l.
- Greece, which in creased taxes on superleaded and unleaded by, respectively, 4/l. and 3/l.
Tax increases on diesel were highest in Italy and the U.K. (both 5/l.). For light heating oil, only Italy showed a clear tax increase-also 5/l.
The largest increase for normal-sulfur heavy heating oil was 2/l. in the U.K. France and Spain each increased taxes on this fuel by less than 1/l.
Greece had the largest increase for low-sulfur heavy heating oil, at 5/l. Denmark was second at 3/l.
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