Press release

The European Shippers’ Council is disappointed with the results of the vote by the European Parliament's Transport Committee on the Eurovignette Directive earlier this week. This legislation would propose a harmonised European system for the calculation of tolls and road charging for heavy good vehicles. ESC shares the view that the user needs to pay its share when making use of infrastructure. It also believes that agreement on the Eurovignette is important as a growing number of Member States are planning for tolls and/or road charging.

ESC feels that in its adoption of the second-reading recommendation, MEPs failed to take sufficient account of the sector's existing fiscal burden of fuel and vehicle taxation (excise duties, the vehicle tax and VAT on fuel) which already includes charges for external costs such as environmental costs.

ESC’s Secretary General Nicolette van der Jagt said: “A healthy road transport sector providing high quality, clean, flexible and reliable services is of vital importance for European industry. In a period of recession like this a further rise in costs will have a negative influence on the competitiveness of the European economy.”

She continued: “Some MEPs seem to think that by making road transport more expensive companies who are dependent on user-oriented, high quality and reliable transport networks will shift their goods to other modes of transport. These MEPs are clearly underestimating the scale and scope of the challenges facing the non-road transport modes before they can meet the demands from industry.”

The Transport Committee also missed the opportunity to express itself more clearly on the issue of earmaking. Since the compromise amendment stated that revenue ‘should’ be used for the maintenance of the infrastructure concerned and the transport sector as a whole, this leaves Member States with the possibility to decide themselves how to use the income. ESC is concerned that the Member States direct investment to where there is real need and demand and for the mode where income was raised, allowing very few exceptions to this rule.

Once voted on by the European Parliament at Strasbourg in the December 12-15 session, the proposal will go to the Council of Ministers, where Member States will give their final view.

For further information contact: Nicolette van der Jagt, Secretary General of the ESC - Brussels 00 322 230 2113