Brussels, 03/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - The question of how to allocate income generated from charges imposed for external costs still remains one of the most controversial points when attempting to find a compromise on the revised draft Eurovignette directive. The first informal trialogue meeting (European Commission, Council and European Parliament) took place on Thursday 3 March. The EP is expected give its verdict in the second reading during the June plenary session. The EP transport committee, which is responsible for the fund, is expected to vote in April.
So far, the draft report in the second EP reading (drafted by Socialist MEP Saïd El Khadraoui, Belgium) clashes with the objectives of member states because it reintroduces an obligatory allocation of revenue from the Eurovignette. It also proposes that at least 15% of revenue generated by overall external costs (the Council limits external costs to the cost of air and noise pollution) and charges for using infrastructure in each member state be used for funding Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) projects. It proposes that member states decide upstream on the use of charges for infrastructure currently used. The EP considers that this should particularly be used to benefit the road transport sector and improve transport in general. The rapporteur is also appealing for the gradual withdrawal of time-based charges and their replacement with a charge based on the distance covered.
Variation of “congestion” charges. The rapporteur intends to extend the maximum limits on infrastructure charges used to cover congestion charges. He is proposing that these charges be increased by up to 200% (as opposed to 175% proposed by the Council) for a period that is less than 8 hours a day (as opposed to 5 hours a day proposed by member states). The variation should be devised and applied in a way which grants significant financial advantages to hauliers who choose to use the road section concerned during off-peak periods over those who choose to use it during peak hours.
Exemptions. The rapporteur maintains exemptions, introduced through the Council's common position on application of the directive, to lorries of between 3 and 12 tonnes. Member states that decide to introduce the Eurovignette for external costs could introduce exemptions to application of this directive if they demonstrate that the imposition of new charges would have the reverse effect on traffic flows, the environment, noise or congestion or if the administrative costs resulting from the introduction of these measures was above 30% of the income generated by the extension of these charges. He insists, however, that member states that introduce this exemption and only tax lorries that weigh more than 12 tonnes, inform the Commission of their decision and provide justification for this action. The rapporteur is also proposing to maintain exemptions for less polluting lorries (EURO V and EURO VI categories) as part of the effort to introduce incentives for using cleaner modes of transport. Nevertheless, he is restricting the period of time allowed for these exemptions from the 4 years proposed by member states to 3 years. The draft report also authorises a deduction of Eurovignette charges and price mark-ups allowed for certain sections of roads which are particularly sensitive from an environmental point of view, except for the most polluting kinds of lorries (EURO 0, I, II and III categories). (A. By./transl.fl)