Romanian Senate Commissions Eliminate Car Tax, Stipulate Full Refunds

The commissions debated Tuesday the draft law approving the ordinance. Democrat liberal senator Dan Carlan, head of the public administration commission proposed an amendment eliminating the first ten articles in the draft law, along with article 13, which referred to the enforcement and calculation method of the pollution tax for cars.

The amendment also changes article 11 of the draft law and stipulates the money collected as tax in the interval Jan 1, 2007 – Jun 30, 2008 is to refunded in full. The article initially stipulated the government was to refund the difference between the old car tax and the new pollution tax.

The amendment was adopted seven to three votes and three abstentions. Senators only kept the last article in the draft law, which stipulates the elimination of the old car tax from the Fiscal Code.

The commissions also adopted another amendment, initiated by conservative Marius Marinescu, which stipulates that taxes are to be refunded by Dec 31, 2008.