Transport Policy

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Road charging Infrastructure charging Vehicle & fuel taxes Tolls & user charges for vehicles (including Eurovignette)

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Road charging

Tolls and user charges for vehicles (including Eurovignette)

Directive 99/62/EC as modified by Directive 2006/38/EC sets common rules on distance-related tolls and time-based user charges for goods vehicles (above 3.5 tonnes) for the use of certain infrastructure.

The Directive:

• (i) improves the functioning of the internal market through the approximation of the conditions of competition in the transport sector by reducing the differences in the levels and in the systems of tolls and user charges applicable in Member States
• (ii) takes better account of the principles of fair and efficient pricing in transport by providing for greater differentiation of tolls and charges in line with costs associated with the road use

The Directive lays down certain rules to be followed by Member States if they wish to have tolls and/or user charges. The most important of these framework conditions are:

(1) Tolls shall be levied according to the distance travelled and the type of vehicle; user charges are scaled according to the duration of the use made of the infrastructure and to vehicles emission classes.

(2) Both tolls and user charges can only be imposed on users of motorways or multi-lane roads similar to motorways as well as on users of bridges, tunnels and mountain passes.

(3)  The directive does not permit to impose a toll and a user charge at the same time. However, tolls can be levied on networks where user charges are already imposed for the use of bridges, tunnels and mountain passes.

(4) National tolls and charges should not be discriminatory and should be set out in such a way to cause as little hindrance as possible to the free flow of traffic as well as to avoid mandatory checks at the Community’s internal borders. It is to be noted that at national level specific taxes or charges for the registration of the vehicle or for its abnormal weights/dimension can be imposed and all needed measures to combat road traffic congestion can be adopted.

(5) A specific provision of the directive allows Member States to co-operate for the purpose of introducing a common system of user charges. In this respect Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden have a common system of user charges for heavy goods vehicles above 12 tonnes called the ‘Eurovignette’ system. According to this system the payment of a specified amount confers on hauliers the right to use motorways of the participating Member States for a given period (i.e. a day, a week, a month or a year). Each participating country is responsible for all aspects related to the payment of the Eurovignette on its own territory.

(6) The Directive fixes:

(a)  a maximum level for user charges in accordance with the given period and with the environmental performance of the vehicle as follows:

Annual charge:

Monthly and weekly charges are proportionate to the duration of the use
of the infrastructure. The daily charge is € 8 for all vehicle categories.

Not later than 10 June 2008 the thresholds (in €) will be according to the following table, while the daily charge is 11 € for all vehicle categories.

Class	maximum three axles	minimum four axles
EURO 0	1332	2233
EURO I	1158	1933
EURO II	1008	1681
EURO III	876	1461
EURO IV and less polluting	797	1 329

(b) the maximum weighted average tolls by requiring that tolls are set in relation to the costs of constructing, operating and developing the infrastructure concerned. Member States may vary the toll rates according to vehicle emission classes and the time of the day and in certain sensitive areas, under certain conditions, tolls may be increased to reflect the environmental sensitivity of the area and provide a further fiscal incentive to reduce traffic.

Although the application of tolls and user charges is not mandatory for Member States, all framework conditions set out in the directive should be fulfilled in case of their opting for levying such charges. This will ensure that tolls and user charges are applied evenly and fairly.