Skip to main content

Spotlight on possible changes to the European eco-tax

Following the suspension of the eco-tax on heavy vehicles in October 2013, a number of possible changes are being studied which could lead to its eventual implementation. The tax is expected to generate some US$1.63 billion per year, which would be used to finance the construction of railways and canals in order to reduce haulage activity on the road. Possible changes include re-naming the tax, increasing the current 3.5 tonnes minimum vehicle weight, increasing the number of regions which benefit from a
January 31, 2014 Read time: 1 min
Following the suspension of the eco-tax on heavy vehicles in October 2013, a number of possible changes are being studied which could lead to its eventual implementation. The tax is expected to generate some US$1.63 billion per year, which would be used to finance the construction of railways and canals in order to reduce haulage activity on the road.

Possible changes include re-naming the tax, increasing the current 3.5 tonnes minimum vehicle weight, increasing the number of regions which benefit from a reduction in the eco-tax, or limiting the tax to journeys of a particular length, with those under 50 kilometres or 100 kilometres excluded.

Related Content

  • Changing perceptions and going green with ITS
    May 26, 2022
    Entrants to the ITS (UK) Essay Award were asked to write about innovative application of ITS solutions to achieve decarbonisation goals. First-year apprentice Leora Wilson, who studies at Leeds College of Building as part of her apprenticeship with Mott MacDonald, won the competition with this entry…
  • Olympic challenges in Sochi
    May 27, 2014
    Sporting events always create problems for traffic planners and none more so than the Winter Olympics. It is difficult to think of more diametrically opposite challenges for transport planners than the 2012 Olympics in London and this year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi: from a summer event in the heart of a megacity with well established transport infrastructure to winter games with unpredictable weather and events in remote and mountainous locations. The Winter Games are always a challenge and Sochi was no di
  • European eCoMove consortium presents findings
    November 20, 2013
    After three years of research, the Cooperative Mobility Systems and Services for Energy Efficiency (eCoMove) consortium has presented its final results to the public. The consortium, comprising 32 partners including public authorities, vehicle manufacturers, service providers, infrastructure and telecommunication operators, and research institutes, has developed solutions using next-generation vehicle-to-X communication technologies to reduce the inefficiencies responsible for energy waste in road trans
  • Cost of northern Colombia rail line US$1 billion says study
    March 18, 2015
    It would cost nearly US$1 billion to build a 260 kilometre rail line connecting cities in northern Colombia, according to a study by the Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla. The proposed rail corridor would link Santa Marta, Barranquilla and Cartagena, which are home to the three biggest ports on the country's Caribbean coast. The train would function as a mixed service line, transporting passengers as well as cargo. "Some details need to be worked out regarding funding sources, which depends more on the