The ZDH is critical of the European Commission's new toll plans. (Photo: © Jrg Schiemann/123RF.com)
Read aloud:
The trade is against the introduction of mandatory distance-based toll systems for medium and light vehicles.
In the run-up to the upcoming European Parliament vote on the road charging/Eurovignette Directive, Holger Schwannecke, Secretary General of the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), stated: "The German skilled crafts sector appeals to the Members of the European Parliament to vote against the introduction of mandatory distance-based toll systems for medium and light vehicles in the vote on the road charging directive on October 25, 2018. While the skilled crafts sector considers the current distance-based toll for very heavy trucks, which cause disproportionate road wear and tear and travel across Europe, to be entirely justified, the skilled crafts sector strongly opposes the Commission and Parliament's proposal that all transport vehicles between 3,5 and 7,5 tonnes must be included in the distance-based truck toll in the future, and that the previous exemptions should be abolished.
This proposal fails to take into account Germany's particular vulnerability: Unlike other EU countries, which have toll networks of a few hundred or thousand kilometers, such a distance-based toll in Germany would affect a vast network of more than 50.000 km. In the worst-case scenario, this would place a significant additional burden on a large portion of regionally active trades as early as 2020, even though light and medium-duty vehicles used by tradesmen do not cause disproportionate wear and tear. Tradesmen already contribute more than adequately to road maintenance through vehicle and energy taxes. The recent extension of tolls to federal highways for vehicles over 7,5 tons has vividly demonstrated the problems and burdens that arise for tradesmen with their diverse transport activities in the regions. Further concerns are the European Parliament's ambition to create congestion-based tolls and the intention to further tighten the Commission's proposals for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles under 3,5 tons. Parliament is calling for the conversion of all vignette systems to distance-based systems. However, this threatens to result in a kind of nationwide "truck toll" in Germany in the medium term, with kilometer-accurate data collection for all small vans and private cars. The skilled trades sector is appealing to the European Parliament to continue to allow member states freedom of choice regarding tolls for light and medium-duty vehicles.
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Background: The European Commission plans to include all commercial vehicles over 3,5 tonnes (maximum permissible weight) in existing toll systems from 2020. The current national exemptions for vehicles between 3,5 and 12 tonnes, which Germany uses for the 3,5 to 7,5 tonne range, are to be eliminated. From 2020 onwards, only distance-based tolling would be possible. According to the Commission, all existing EU-wide toll systems (vignettes) for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles should also be converted to distance-based tolling systems by 2027 at the latest. The European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism has proposed further tightening of the Commission's proposal: For passenger cars and light commercial vehicles under 3,5 tonnes, the conversion of vignette systems to distance-based tolling must take place by the end of 2025. In addition, options are being created for higher rates for commercial vehicles as well as special "congestion charges" that provide for higher toll rates during particularly busy times.
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