The National Association of Car Transporters (BIL) has been listened to in the government’s proposal for the state budget for 2025.
Today, the proposal for the state budget for 2025 was tabled in the Storting. The budget turned out roughly as we at BIL predicted in advance, with few changes other than inflation adjustments. Some things are certainly worth noting, and we will return to that below.
Now it is important to remember that the government will be in negotiations with SV before the final budget is adopted, but as it looks now, most of it is in line with the input we submitted to The Ministry of Finance in May and in the “VAT meeting” in February.
– This budget is in line with our input and expectations, and absolutely necessary to maintain the momentum of the green shift. We are happy to have been listened to, says Harald Jachwitz Andersen, director of the Bilimportørenes Landsforening.
– The time we have put behind us has shown that the market is very sensitive to tax changes. We also see that countries that have removed the incentives too early have experienced a marked decline in sales. We are therefore pleased that the government only adjusts today’s taxes for inflation, and with that provides a predictable framework for our member companies, and for car buyers, he adds.
Main points passenger cars and vans:
No increase in one-off tax for cars and vans. Only inflation adjustment of three percent.
The weight charge was adjusted down from 12.98 to 12.08 on 1 July, to compensate for changes in the leasing rules. For unknown reasons, the government has chosen to adjust this fee for inflation based on the old rate, and not the new one. Thus, this adjustment in practice amounts to 10.7 per cent – not three per cent.
The entry point for VAT on electric cars will remain unchanged in 2025.
The government is following up on a request decision from 2023-2024 for exemption from traffic insurance tax for light electric vans under “publicity cases”. The ministry is in dialogue with the Directorate of Taxes on how best to solve this, and with ESA, because such an exemption is state aid that must be approved by ESA before it can possibly be implemented. The government will return to the Storting with a follow-up “at a later date”.
Truck:
On the heavy vehicle side, there are no actual changes in the budget proposal, but under “topical matters” some elements are mentioned that are worth noting:
The government wants to facilitate a rapid phase-in of heavy zero-emission vehicles, and will therefore not go ahead with a one-off tax on heavy vehicles now.
On the other hand, they want to consider reinforced measures if the phasing in of electric trucks is slower than expected.
“To strengthen the investment, the government proposes to increase the Enova support for zero-emission vehicles and charging infrastructure by NOK 1.2 billion in 2025”. The wording is a bit vague here, but it is intended that through 2025 the National Road Administration will prioritize which measures are to be initiated.