Company cars: baseline CO2 emissions 2015

If a company car is made available to workers or company managers a taxable benefit of all kind originates when the car may be used for private ends. One of the factors to calculate the taxable benefit for the income year 2015 correctly is now known, namely the baseline CO2 emissions.

Lump sum estimate of the benefit

Since 1 January 2012 the benefit of all kind generated by the provision of a company car to a worker or a company manager is calculated as follows:

(List price x degressive coefficient) x 6/7 x CO2 percentage

Baseline CO2 emission serves to determine CO2 percentage

In order to determine the CO2 percentage the CO2 emission of the car is compared to the baseline CO2 emission. In 2014 the baseline CO2 emissions amounted to:

• 112 g/km for cars with petrol, LPG or natural gas engines;
• 93 g/km for cars with diesel engines.

The base CO2 percentage is 5,5% for the baseline CO2 emissions given above. When the emission of the concerned vehicle is higher/lower than the baseline CO2 emission the base percentage is increased/decreased by 0,1% per gram CO2. The CO2 percentage must be at least 4%. The maximum CO2 percentage is 18%.

Each year the baseline CO2 emissions are laid down by Royal Decree.

Baseline CO2 emissions 2015

The baseline CO2 emissions for the income year 2015 are lower than the baseline CO2 emissions for the income year 2014:

• the baseline CO2 emission for cars with petrol, LPG or natural gas engines is 110 g/km.
• the baseline CO2 emission for diesel cars is 91 g/km.

This means that the taxable benefit for the workers and company managers shall be higher in 2015 as the CO2 percentage has risen.

Example:

The worker disposes of a company car with a petrol engine that he may use for private ends. The CO2 emission of the car is 120g/km.

The baseline CO2 emission for company cars with petrol engines is 110 g/km for 2015. The CO2 percentage for 2015 is 6,5 % (= 5,5% + [(120 – 110) x 0,1]%). In 2014 the CO2 percentage was 6,3 % (= 5,5% + [(120 – 112) x 0,1]%).

Source: Royal Decree of 16 December 2014 amending the Royal Decree for the implementation of the 'Code des impôts sur les revenus 1992' with regard to the section of the benefits in kind in the event of free private use of a company car (1), M.B., 22 December 2014.

FR/NL

Author: Peggy Criel

20/08/2015