Nearly half of Britain's company cars are provided as a perk rather then being essential for the job, a new report shows, according to the IC Wales Web site. There are around four million company cars on UK roads, of which 45 percent are part of a work benefits package, according to the study by Interleasing. In 2002, 76 percent of all those UK drivers eligible to have a car as a perk took advantage of the offer. The report also showed that in both the Netherlands and Austria "perk" cars make up 75 percent of the company car fleet. But in France the proportion of company cars taken as a perk is only 10 percent , while in Portugal it is 25 percent. A total of 40 percent of German and 22 percent of French company car fleet managers listed concerns about carbon dioxide emissions from increased company car use. But in the UK, only 3 percent of fleet managers were concerned, despite the strong emissions-based taxes on company cars introduced by the government. Nick Brownrigg, chief executive of the European Full Service section of Interleasing's parent company GMAC said, "This report highlights the fact that the company car is part of the corporate landscape in many European countries. It also shows that, despite many government tax discouragements over the years, the company car is still regarded as a perk as opposed to an essential tool in many countries."
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