Cleaner vehicle purchase incentives (Decree Law No. 5 of 2009)

In February 2009, as part of measures aimed at supporting industrial sectors in crisis, the Council of Ministers launched a temporary incentive scheme for consumers to replace their old vehicles with new ones meeting certain environmental criteria.


Energy - demand-side policies: the scheme applies to cars, light commercial vehicles, as well as motorcycles and scooters. The incentives are provided in the form of a discount obtained by consumers directly from the dealers, who in turn receive this as a tax credit.


A bonus of EUR1,500 (USD1,882) is provided when a car more than nine years old and meeting Euro 0, 1 or 2 standards is exchanged for a new vehicle meeting Euro 4 or 5 standards and that emits a maximum of 130g CO2/km for diesel cars or 140g CO2/km for others. The exchanged vehicle must have been registered by December 1999.


This can be combined with a purchase incentive of EUR 1,500 should the new vehicle run on electricity, hydrogen or methane. Similar bonuses are provided for lightweight commercial vehicles, motorcycles and scooters.