On 12 September EU general affairs ministers adopted the revised Eurovignette directive on road charges for heavy duty vehicles. The new legislation will allow member states to charge lorries for the noise and air pollution they cause. Tolls will vary according to different factors, such as distance travelled and the time of road usage. Higher infrastructure charges could also be levied during peak periods to address congestion problems. Countries are allowed to exempt lorries weighing between 3.5 and 12 tonnes should they decide to apply the rules to their territories. But they would have to justify these exemptions to the European Commission.
Vehicles complying with Euro V standards will be exempt from air pollution charges until the end of 2013, and Euro VI vehicles will be exempt until the end of 2017. Even less-polluting hybrid and electric vehicles will be permanently exempted.
Source: ENDS Europe Daily, 12 September 2011
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