Discussions on the revision of the Directive on road infrastructure charging (1999/62/EC), known as the "Eurovignette" Directive, resumed on Monday 10 February in the Council of the European Union's Working Party on ‘land transport’.
The national experts are thus said to have exchanged views on a new proposal from the European Commission concerning the variation of infrastructure charges and user charges for heavy commercial vehicles according to CO2 emissions.
This subject was one of the points which had prevented the Member States from reaching a political agreement ('general approach') on the 'Eurovignettes' dossier at the ‘Transport’ EU Council last 2 December (see EUROPE 12382/9), leading to a temporary halt on discussions.
In its initial proposal, the Commission suggests gradually replacing the variation in charges according to the 'EURO' emission class of heavy goods vehicles - which concerns the impact in terms of air pollution, without taking into account CO2 emissions - by a variation in charges according to CO2 emissions.
Nevertheless, several Member States felt that, despite the changes proposed by Helsinki, which was then holding the rotating Presidency of the EU Council, the text lacked clarity on this issue.
The content of the Commission's new proposal has yet to be revealed.
For its part, the European Parliament adopted its position at first reading on 25 October 2018 (see EUROPE 12125/2). (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)