European Commission and Germany reach agreement on road charging scheme

On 1 December 2016, in the margins of the Transport Council held in Brussels, the European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc, met with the German Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Alexander Dobrindt. This led to an announcement of an agreement reached by both parties to curtail the legal dispute over the planned introduction of a road charge for passenger cars in Germany.

In response, Dutch transport minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told the Dutch news agency ANP that the Netherlands planned to file a lawsuit with the European Court of Justice. Other neighbouring countries such as Austria, Denmark and Belgium intimated that they might also support such a legal case.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Road transport: Commission refers Germany to Court over discriminatory road charging http://www.europeansources.info/record/road-transport-commission-refers-germany-to-court-over-discriminatory-road-charging/

Euro|Topics: Debates, December 2016: Berlin and Brussels agree on road toll http://www.eurotopics.net/en/170573/berlin-and-brussels-agree-on-road-toll

The Local.de, 02.12.16: Germany's neighbours mull suit over 'foreigner road toll' http://www.thelocal.de/20161202/angry-neighbours-to-sue-germany-over-foreigner-autobahn-toll

Deutsche Welle, 02.12.16: EU neighbors push back against Germany's road toll plans http://dw.com/p/2TbeN

Politico, 01.12.16: Germany and Commission seal road toll deal http://www.politico.eu/article/germany-and-commission-seal-road-toll-deal-autobahn-berlin-motorists-taxes/

EurActiv, 16.02.17: Pressure mounts on EU to pull the plug on contentious German road toll law http://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/news/pressure-mounts-on-eu-to-pull-the-plug-on-contentious-german-road-toll-law/

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