Brussels, 31/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 30 October, Germany outlined the modalities for the 2016 introduction of a motorway vignette that will be used to help fund its infrastructure to the tune of €3.7 billion a year. The German authorities have sought to comply with European rules on taxing private cars, in an effort to eliminate any suspicions of there being any discrimination against foreign drivers.
Federal roads. The draft law is considered to reduce the scope of the vignette's application because instead of being compulsory for all German roads, as suggested in June, only federal roads and motorways (bundesstrassen and autobahn) will be affected. The vignette will also have to be purchased by all owners of cars registered in Germany or not but which are used on these kinds of German roads. The price of the annual electronic vignette (related to the vehicle's number plate) will be calculated on the basis of the vehicle's ecological performance (€130 a year maximum). A vignette valid for ten days is expected to cost €10 and a vignette valid for two months will cost €22. They can be purchased online, at petrol stations or specific sales outlets. The revenue generated will be reinvested in transport infrastructure but no explanation has been offered about what transport network will be affected in this connection. The estimated annual profits will be around €3.7 billion, of which €3 billion will come from the owners of cars registered in Germany and €690 million from foreign drivers.
Non-discrimination. The owners of cars registered in Germany will have their road tax reduced as a means of compensating for the purchase of this vignette, given that they already pay this tax for funding federal roads. Germany claims, however, that even when it is combined with this tax break for German residents, the introduction of this vignette will not directly or indirectly infringe the non-discrimination principle on the basis of nationality or country of residence as ratified in the EU treaties (Dutch drivers have complained about this, see EUROPE 11146). The Commission may also possibly share this opinion, as suggested in the debate at the beginning of the week by the outgoing European Commissioner for Transport, Siim Kallas (EUROPE 11186). Violeta Bulc, who takes over this portfolio on Monday, expressed her support for the principle of non-discrimination during her hearing at the European Parliament.
MEPs are expected to examine this question more closely during an exchange of views on the introduction of tollbooths for private cars planned for 4 November. (MD)