Parliament gave the final green light to an agreement with EU governments on the update of the rules defining the charges member states can impose on trucks and lorries, but also buses, vans and passenger cars using trans-European transport (TEN-T) network roads. This will not force EU member states to charge vehicles using their roads. However, should they choose to do so, they will need to follow the EU rules.

Tolls instead of vignettes

The aim of the new rules is to move road charging from a time-based model to distance-based or an actual kilometres-driven system, to better reflect the polluter-pays and user-pays principles.

MEPs secured that members states will phase out “vignettes” (time-based road charging) for heavy-duty vehicles (trucks, lorries and buses) across the core TEN-T network within eight years of the new rules entering into force, and start applying tolls (distance-based charges). However, member states will still be able to retain vignettes for specific…