Skip to main content

MEPs demand truck tolls to curb CO2 emissions

Fourteen MEPs have signed a letter to EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc demanding the European Commission propose legislation to impose new tolls on trucks, according to Euractiv. The Commission's Energy Union plans announced earlier this year dropped truck tolls laid out in earlier versions. There is currently no CO2 standard for trucks in Europe, although car and van CO2 emissions are limited. European Commission data shows trucks contributing one quarter of CO2 emissions from road transport in
November 20, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Fourteen MEPs have signed a letter to EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc demanding the European Commission propose legislation to impose new tolls on trucks, according to Euractiv.

The Commission's Energy Union plans announced earlier this year dropped truck tolls laid out in earlier versions.

There is currently no CO2 standard for trucks in Europe, although car and van CO2 emissions are limited. European Commission data shows trucks contributing one quarter of CO2 emissions from road transport in the EU, although campaigners estimate the figure to be higher.

The MEPs called for an amendment to the Eurovignette directive to scrap time-based charges and draft legislation that moves towards “full and mandatory internalisation of external costs and that enables the differentiation of tolls based on the energy efficiency of CO2 emissions of trucks.”

The Commission is expected to present new legislation on road transport next year. The MEPs asked Bulc to include new toll legislation for trucks in that proposal.

Related Content

  • Europe’s number one leading Mobility as a Service conference says the future of transport lies in delivering change
    January 19, 2018
    First hand reports on the rapid progress being made, as well as the obstacles being faced, by Mobility as a Service projects across Europe dominate the agenda of the second “MaaS Market Concept to Delivery” conference taking place in London next month. Speakers will cover the political and regulatory implications, open data, technology and common standards, demand responsive transport and future business models. This is Europe’s number one leading MaaS event and it includes presentations from Port
  • Frequency changes threaten vehicle safety applications
    January 24, 2012
    The use of frequency spectrum at 5.9GHz for vehicle safety applications is at risk because of two draft bills currently before Congress. Here, we look at why and what’s being done to address the issue. In the US, the right of cooperative infrastructure to use frequency at 5.9GHz is under threat as a result of the proposal of two bills in Congress. The chronology of spectrum allocation for Dedicated Short- Range Communications (DSRC)-based Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) safety a
  • EU transport committee votes for cross-border enforcement of traffic offences
    May 18, 2012
    Motorists who speed, ignore red lights or drink and drive when in a European country other than their own will be brought to book more easily, thanks to closer cooperation between European police forces and EU-wide enforcement of traffic rules, under plans approved yesterday by the European Parliament's transport committee. However, the UK and Ireland decided not to opt in to the system, while Denmark is entitled to opt out because the Council changed the legal basis of the directive from "transport" to "po
  • Rental e-scooter trials begin in UK
    July 6, 2020
    Privately-owned scooters remain illegal on UK roads