Luxembourg, 21/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - After twenty-three months of difficult negotiation, EU transport ministers reached a political agreement in Luxembourg on Thursday, with a qualified majority, on the proposal to amend the 1999 directive on the taxation of heavy goods vehicles using certain infrastructures (the “Eurovignette” directive). Discussions are not yet over, however, as the European Parliament has still to vote in second reading. The Presidency promises discussions with the EP will be tough, possibly leading to conciliation procedure.
During a press conference, the Transport Council president, Lucien Luxembourg, said he was “very, very pleased” that all the efforts made by the Luxembourg Presidency had been successful, after the failed attempts of the two earlier Presidencies (EUROPE 8802). European Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot, who has signed up to the Presidency compromise without too many qualms, felt that this success will allow the mobility battle to be won and to keep a triple promise (that of overcoming congestion on the network, reducing pollution and guaranteeing more equitable competition). Mr Luxembourg also welcomed the courage shown by the Austrian minister, Hubert Gorbach, who “fought like a lion” to reach an agreement that his country can find acceptable.
Portugal, Estonia and Malta (“peripheral” States that are concerned at the increase in the cost of transport) are opposed to the compromise text, as is Belgium (albeit a transit country) which feels that some rules would have an adverse effect on its mobility policy. Greece and Finland abstained from voting. A last concession granted by the Presidency on the subject of reducing tolls for regular users tipped Italy into the camp of the Member States in favour of a compromise.
During the Council's public deliberations, the Italians and Austrians confirmed that they would use the new rules of the directive to allocate part of the receipts from their tolls (transalpine sections) to the funding of the new Brenner tunnel. France also confirmed that it had won the day on the subject of the motorways governed by concession systems (motorway companies). The new method of calculating tolls will not concern tolls under existing concessions. For the new concessions, the amount raised in tolls is expected to be equal to or lower than the amount that would be obtained using the method of calculation defined in Annex III of the directive.
Although the current “Eurovignette” directive only affects vehicles in heavy goods lorries that have a total weight that is equal to or above 12 tonnes, the draft directive is moving towards making Community rules applicable on infrastructure tariffs for all goods transporting vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes. The compromise leaves it up to Member States to apply tolls on roads not covered by the Tans-European networks, notably on competing highways. Member States can decide whether to submit or not part of their TEN networks to tolls. During the Council's decision making process Barrot warned that choice should not mean discrimination. The main elements are as follows.
Using income: complying with the subsidiarity principle, Member States will decide on the use of include from duties taken for road transport use. To meet the Commission's initial idea, the different countries are invited to direct this income to the transport sector “to ensure the development of the network as a whole”.
Variations in toll amounts: the draft directive authorises Member States to amend tolls according to new criteria. According to the text, Member States can vary the toll rates on the basis of the fight against environmental damage and damage to infrastructure, reducing traffic congestion in the network or promoting road safety. Nonetheless, variations should be proportional to the objective being followed, as well as being transparent, and non-discriminatory (particularly concerning nationality of transporters). Neither should it generate additional toll income. Toll rates can vary (up to 100%) based on the degree of EURO emissions (vehicle pollution), the time of day or even what day or season it is.
Toll surcharges: in exceptional cases of infrastructure in mountainous regions (like the Alps), Member States can apply a toll surcharge on specific sections experiencing congestion or where vehicle use is provoking significant environmental damage. Income from this surcharge should help fund investment costs for other transport infrastructure costs having a European interest (mainly railways) on the same axis as the road section (for which the surcharge applies).
The amount for this surcharge should not exceed 15% of the basic toll, except when income generated is invested into cross-border sections in infrastructure projects in mountainous regions (like the Brenner tunnel). In this case, the amount for the toll surcharge can be as much as 25% of the basic toll. Mr Barrot explained that on the subject of the Brenner, the Commission was encouraging Austria and Italy to agree to a surcharge, which in practice will make toll levels the equivalent of those operating today on the Brenner motorway.
Construction costs: toll calculation rules and payment for use will be amended to better take into account costs generated by heavy goods vehicles. The definition of construction costs is expanded to all 'construction costs” including financing costs for infrastructure completed over thirty years before the date of transposing the new directive.
Allowances or reductions: reductions on tolls for regular users cannot exceed 13% of the normal toll.