EC takes Greece to court over car tax
Monday, 16 September 2002 16:56The European Commission has taken Greece to court to try to force it to revise its decision to apply high taxes on cars brought into the country by temporary residents from other European Union states.
Under EU laws, EU citizens can use their cars in other member states for up to six months in any 12-month period without paying local automobile taxes.
However the European Commission says Greece has violated the laws by demanding that foreigners immediately pay high car registration fees and other taxes.
A Commission spokesperson said that the taxes "result in heavy and disproportionate fines, regular seizures, confiscations and auction sales of vehicles, prosecution for smuggling and severe penalties".
Greece faces a heavy fine if the European Court of Justice finds it guilty of breaching EU laws.
