Brussels, 09/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the European Commission decided to give the regional authorities of Piedmont the go-ahead to introduce an aid scheme to divert some heavy goods traffic away from the Lake Maggiore State Highway 33 to the A26 motorway. The scheme, which should operate between June and September 2003 son that the regional authorities can provide better traffic management in the Lake Maggiore area during the summer. The Piedmont Region will thus be allowed to reimburse up to 40% of the toll charges which heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes and engaging in road haulage and which will have to pay to use the A26 motorway. The Commission considers that this system is compatible with the common market as it as it meets the needs of coordination of transport, is limited to offsetting some of the additional costs borne by certain heavy goods vehicles and applies to a very limited period. In October 2001 the Commission initiated a formal examination procedure against Italy as it considered that toll reductions solely for heavy goods vehicles and paid electronically using the "Telepass" system was discriminatory. Italy altered the original scheme by extending the toll reductions to include vehicles of the specified category and independently of mode of payment.