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On 1 December 2023, Germany will become the first EU country to apply the bloc’s new road user charging framework, highlighting three primary issues with the law and its implementation.
In 2022, the EU adopted a new legislative framework for road user charges. Member States are expected to transpose the new rules into national legislation by the end of March 2024. Germany will be the first country to implement the new legislation.
In October, the German federal parliament approved a plan which will lead to the doubling of toll rates for the use of a standard Euro VI truck combination starting 1 December 2023. The doubling of the toll rate includes a double charge for CO2 emissions. The first charge comes through a rate variation based on the vehicle’s CO2 performance. The second charge comes from an additional external CO2 cost which is added.
Empty incentive
The new toll charges are meant to incentivise the uptake of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles. However, as often highlighted by IRU, such vehicles are not widely available on the market: even if a transport company could afford to change its fleet in a matter of weeks or months, they have few possibilities to switch to affordable and easily usable low-emission vehicles, including for long-haul trips.
There are also two specific issues with how Germany has implemented the new rules.
Extremely short notice
Germany is introducing the new toll charges on very short notice, having given the market and transport companies less than a month to react.
It is extremely challenging for road transport operators to absorb a doubling of toll rates at such short notice without serious risks. Contract negotiations were made close to impossible until the final decision by the federal parliament. Renegotiating contracts in a month’s time is a challenge for transport operators of all sizes.
Eventually, the road user charge increases could impact consumer prices in Germany and beyond. It is essential that Member States foresee adequate lead time for the application of higher toll rates to allow the road transport and logistics industry to properly adapt to the new situation. Read more
Source: IRU
