According to International Transport Danmark (ITD), three of the four hauliers summoned to appear before Aalborg District Court are represented by the organisation. ITD’s managing director Stefan K. Schou said it was “a waste of resources” to pursue prosecutions while the government has yet to respond to ITD’s separate lawsuit against the Danish state.
“These are cases against hauliers who refused to pay because they rightfully question the legality of the fines,” Schou said. “It’s fundamentally an EU-law issue that cannot be properly decided until our main case on unlawful fine practices has been heard.”
From policy to prosecution: toll dispute reaches the courtroom
Denmark’s new CO₂-based road toll for heavy vehicles came into force on 1 January 2025, replacing the Eurovignette. It applies to trucks over 12 tonnes and charges per kilometre based on emissions class and distance driven.
However, the flat-rate penalty system has drawn sharp criticism from hauliers. Every infringement, from technical errors to unpaid tolls, results in the same fine. Initially set at 4,500 DKK (€600), the amount was doubled to 9,000 DKK (€1,200) on 1 July 2025, regardless of circumstances.
By the end of July, more than 40,000 fines had been issued, totalling nearly 200 million DKK. ITD argues this violates the EU principle of proportionality, which requires that sanctions reflect the seriousness of the offence.
Hauliers’ lawsuit challenges legality of Denmark’s fine regime
In September, ITD filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Taxation, claiming the fixed-penalty model breaches EU law.
The organisation demands that all fines be annulled and that Denmark adopt a more proportionate, progressive system.
The upcoming criminal cases, however, concern individual hauliers, Scandi Logistics, Lauge Transport, and Vognmand Finn Nielsen, who have refused to pay fines they believe are unlawful.
ITD’s lawyer Sune Klinge from Offersen:Christoffersen will represent the companies when the first hearing opens in Aalborg District Court.
ITD accuses authorities of wasting resources
ITD says the prosecutions are premature, given that the broader legal question is still before the courts.
“It is a waste of resources to run criminal cases against hauliers while the main lawsuit on the fine system’s legality remains unresolved,” said Schou.
The association maintains that Danish authorities should await an EU-level interpretation before enforcing the disputed penalties.
European precedents highlight need for reform
The Danish case mirrors earlier disputes in Belgium, where hauliers were fined €1,000 per infringement after the Viapass system launched in 2016.
Following strong criticism and industry pressure, Belgium restructured its penalty model in 2017, introducing a tiered fine system ranging from €100 to €1,000 depending on the gravity of the offence.
ITD argues that Denmark should follow a similar path.
“Denmark must adapt its sanctions model so that it no longer breaches EU law,” Schou said earlier this year, pointing to the German and Belgian systems as more balanced examples.
What’s next for Denmark’s disputed road toll
The first criminal hearings are scheduled for 28 November 2025 in Aalborg.
Meanwhile, ITD continues to await the Danish government’s formal response to its broader lawsuit.
If the courts side with the hauliers, the decision could force Denmark to refund hundreds of millions of kroner and redesign its penalty system to comply with EU standards.
