Brussels, 20/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - Minister Dobrindt from Germany has provided personal assurances to Violeta Bulc, stipulating that the vignette project for German motorways will not be discriminatory. The question will definitely be on the agenda of the first meeting between the European Minister for Transport and the German Federal Minister for Infrastructure on Thursday 20 November in Brussels.
This meeting was swiftly organised at the last minute between the two officials. Dobrindt is seeking to provide the Commissioner with reassurances regarding the German vignette project, which is currently being examined by the different German ministries. The project is raising controversy with regard to the principle of non-discrimination (purchasing the vignette will be compensated with a reduction in taxes for German residents). At the end of the meeting, Bulc asserted that they both agreed on the fact that there should not be any discrimination based on nationality and that all German and foreign drivers should be treated fairly and that this was, “a fundamental principle in the EU Treaty”. The Federal German minister also explained that the German authorities have been working hard to respond to European concerns and gear their plans in the right direction. The draft law is currently being examined by the different German ministries, before being formally proposed for adoption to MPs
The vignette system for passenger cars could be applied as from 2016 in an effort to raise €3 billion a year for funding the maintenance of the German motorways (EUROPE 11189, 11191 and 11192). In this connection, Bulc gave her support to the principle of getting drivers to pay for the roads they used. (MD)