A new toll system for trucks has been in effect in Denmark since 1 January this year. It applies to vehicles with a GVW of 12 tonnes or more, with fees determined by CO2 emissions and the distance travelled. Last autumn, the Danish carrier organisation DTL appealed to the Ministry of Transport, highlighting the need for more effective monitoring of foreign trucks’ compliance with the new toll.
According to DTL, the lack of detailed controls and enforcement of fees from foreign companies undermines fair competition in the market. In November 2024, Thomas Danielsen, the Danish Minister of Transport, addressed the organisation’s criticism by promising stricter enforcement measures.
“The government will enable Sund & Bælt in Storebælt to stop foreign trucks with unpaid toll fines – with an ultimatum: either they turn around at the toll booth or pay the fine on the spot,” the ministry announced last year.
Controls in practice
DTL has been closely monitoring the government’s actions regarding toll enforcement. “The body responsible for carrying out the controls is still not functioning, which will lead to inequality in the treatment of foreign vehicles,” the union stated in January.
The organisation stresses that truck inspections will pose the greatest challenge, particularly for foreign vehicles.
“Experiences with collecting parking fees and traffic fines from foreign drivers are already discouraging,” says Erik Østergaard, director of DTL. “And we are in a situation where the legal basis for the checks won’t be considered by the Danish parliament until February. Until then, it’s essentially a free-for-all, as the police are not conducting specific fee checks,” he explains, clearly frustrated.
However, the head of DTL is concerned that even after the legal framework is established, enforcement will remain inadequate.
“Once the legal basis comes into force, there will only be six permanent checkpoints with license plate scanners and six mobile control units at intersections. That’s far too few, considering that half a million foreign trucks drive in Denmark every year,” Østergaard notes.
In his opinion, authorities should have the power to immobilise vehicles, such as using wheel clamps, in cases of unpaid tolls.