A new environmental fee for cars has come into effect in Romania on Friday. The fee will only be levied on cars upon their first registration in Romania or when the car changes ownership, with the exception of inheritance and division of property. Car owners who have already paid the fee in the previous form will no longer have to pay the new environmental fee, while those who already got a refund will pay the fee if they sell the vehicle.Environment minister Rovana Plumb explains how the new fee was calculated:
Rovana Plumb: “The fee accounts for carbon dioxide emissions regardless of the car’s cylinder capacity. This is the result of a request from citizens, the Association of Car Makers and Importers and the European Union, which, as you know, has called for a reduction in the level of carbon dioxide emissions.”

The value of the environmental fee varies, in Romania, between 50 euros for a new Euro 5 car and around 2,500 euros for 10-year-old Euro 3 car. Owners of Euro 4 and Euro 3 cars will have to pay an additional 10% than before, while owners of Euro 2, Euro 1 and non-Euro cars will pay 60 to 90% less. The Environment Ministry says the fee will remain the same for Euro 5 cars, while there will be no charge for Euro 6 cars and hybrid and electric cars. Also exempt from paying the fee are diplomatic cars, cars used in sports competitions, cars belonging to people with disabilities, the army and the gendarmery, as well as ambulance cars. Minister Rovana Plumb estimates the new fee will bring revenues of around 160 million euros in 2013.

The money will be used to finance various environmental projects, including infrastructure, water and sewerage systems, the treatment of decontaminated dams and ponds and renewable energy parks. The minister has also explained that some of the money will also be used for the car fleet renewal scheme which will be resumed in April. People who scrap their old cars will receive a voucher worth 1,500 euros to buy a new car and 2,000 euros to buy an electric car. As a first this year, Euro 3 cars that are at least 10 years old can also be part of the car scrapping programme.
TheRomanian  Environment Ministry will also use revenues brought by the environmental fee to reimburse Romanian car owners who already paid the fee and won the right in court to be paid back the value of the previous fee. The value of reimbursements stands at 90 million euros. Source; Radio Romania INternational