Text tabled : A6-0240/2006

  John Attard-Montalto (PSE), in writing. I voted in accordance with the PSE Group’s guidelines except for those amendments on which we, the Malta Labour Party MEPs, agreed to vote otherwise. I want to record the following in explanation. Carbon dioxide emissions by cars are more likely to be less voluminous in new cars. Car makers are now conscious of the need to reduce emissions and use the latest technologies. Registration tax when abused by government raises the price of cars exorbitantly. In Malta and Gozo, with the exception of Denmark, car prices are the highest in the EU. Car registration tax should be removed and until such time agreement should be reached on uniformity within the different states. The fee for the annual car licence should be based on the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Revenues from car-related taxes should be used to improve and sustain car-related infrastructures, mainly road construction, maintenance, parking areas, safety measures and landscaping. Income from car registration in Malta and Gozo is comparatively very high whilst the road infrastructure is the worst in the EU. The problem of carbon dioxide emissions is especially acute in commercial and public transport vehicles.