Swiss Parliament OK's 12 cents/gallon ULSD tax break

Diesel Fuel News, Sept 30, 2002

Backed by Swiss Buwal (EPA), the Swiss Parliament just approved tax incentives favoring the production of "zero sulfur" (<10 ppm sulfur) gasoline and diesel starting Jan. 1, 2004. For diesel, the tax break would be (Swiss) 4-5 centimes/liter, or about (U.S.) 12 cents/gallon. The measure also aims to aid the introduction of higher-efficiency vehicles in order to reduce [CO.sub.2] emissions.

In Europe, that usually means dieselization. Many European countries use tax breaks to incentivize the early introduction of ultra-low sulfur fuels, a policy deemed unthinkable in North America due to "corporate welfare" political accusations brought against the oil industry.