Each Member State of the European Union must fully apply EU law. The body responsible for identifying possible violations of EU law is the European Commission. Where a Member State does not apply EU law and breaches its obligations under the EU Treaties, the European Commission may open a formal infringement procedure under Articles 258 and 260 TFEU (see details on the infringement procedure here).
As mentioned in the “June infringements package: main decisions 1-6-2023”, the European Commission decided to send an additional letter of formal notice to Greece (INFR(2020)4001) for not properly applying EU rules on second-hand vehicles purchased in other EU Member States. A first letter of formal notice was sent to Greece on 23 September 2021 regarding its registration tax and environmental tax on such vehicles.
Since then, Greece has extended the application of the environmental tax to new categories of vehicles. This environmental tax discriminates between second-hand vehicles bought and registered in Greece and second-hand vehicles purchased in other Member States, and subsequently registered in Greece. Consequently, the Commission is now expanding the scope of the infringement considering the new modifications introduced in the Greek legislation.
Greece has two months to reply to this additional letter of formal notice. If Greece does not act within the next two months, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion.
Information about this procedure and the European Commission’s decisions on the infringement in question can be found on the European Commission’s website by entering INFR(2020)4001 in the “Infringement number” field.
The application of EU law is an obligation of the Member States of the European Union. If infringements of EU law are identified, the European Commission may take a series of actions against the Member State concerned to ensure the correct and full application of EU law by opening infringement proceedings under Articles 258 and 260 TFEU.
In June 2023, the European Commission decided to send an additional letter of formal notice to Greece for non-compliance with EU car tax rules.
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