Brussels, 09/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - As we go to press, the Transport Council on Tuesday was still examining a presidency compromise to attempt to get an agreement on the draft directive on taxing heavy goods vehicles that use trans-European transport network infrastructure (TEN-T). This proposal, which amends directive 1999/62 aims to set up a common framework for tolls for heavy goods vehicles in Community territory. While waiting for the first-reading by the European Parliament and in compliance with the mandate of the European Council of December 2003, the presidency is hoping for a general orientation on the case during the Council, despite divergences between Member States on some points, notably how resources will be used from tolls. However, as we write, discussions are proving extremely difficult, indeed are in stalemate. Before work was begun again in the afternoon, and after an initial two hours at the negotiation table before dinner, the European Commission reckoned that an agreement could be obtained on the basis of the following elements:
- the directive applies only to TEN-T and for heavy goods of more than 12 tonnes (as opposed to the Commission's proposal applying to all heavy goods vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes on the TEN networks and the parallel TEN itineraries), while leaving open the possibility to Member States of going further;
- a two stage approach for calculating toll charges: initially, all the general principles together, which would be definitive for reaching a common method for calculation, decided on according to committee procedures (but several Member States want codecision);
-in certain zones that are particularly affected (like the Alps), Member States would be allowed to increase toll charges by 25% on the condition that these resources are used for alternative structures in the same corridor;
- on the same road part of the highway, Member States could vary the amount of their tolls (for environmental reasons, congestion etc) but highest amount could never be beyond the double of the least amount;
toll charges should not take into account the repayment of construction costs for the infrastructure 25 after the entry into force of the directive (instead of the 15 years proposed by the Commission). the amounts at the tolls will be taken into account: the construction costs for the new infrastructure and infrastructure less than 25 years after the entry into force of the directive;
- only resources from charges that are increased by 25% in tolls in the most affected zones should be given over entirely to transport infrastructure. Member States will be free to direct other revenue to other posts. This point was the object of the bitterest discussion between the two camps of Member States who consider that they be considered like tax receipts and want to place them wherever they want (United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland) and Member States which agree with the Commission for putting this income exclusively into the transport sector (Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Finland) supported by future Member States;
- Member States could grant discounts to frequent users of their infrastructure on a non-discriminatory basis.