Flickr/ EU2017EE Estonian Presidency CC0

Vignette will come into effect later than planned? French authorities want to collect fees from foreign trucks

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French Minister of Transport Elisabeth Borne announced plans to increase the budget for transport by 13.4 billion euros over the next four years. She also confirmed the introduction of charges for foreign trucks for the use of road infrastructure in France.

Elisabeth Borne (pictured) presented her plan of action until the end of her term. She said, among other things, that by 2022, she intends to increase the budget for transport support by 40 percent, i.e. 13.4 billion euros. Borne also wants subject foreign truck to road tolls for using the infrastructure. The head of the Ministry of Transport also admitted that the introduction of the planned vignette will be delayed. Instead of next year, the payment will come into force „maybe” in 2020. According to observers, this postponement is a reaction to the protests of the „yellow vests, informs German portal verkehrsrundschau.de.

According to the assurances of the minister, the ministry has sufficient funds to maintain the infrastructure next year. However, in 2020 it will require new sources of financing.

The money will be used for improving infrastructure in regions such as Lozère, Aurillac in Cantal and Prades in the Eastern Pyrenees.

Confusion over future fees

The subject of new charges, including those imposed on foreign trucks, has raised controversies for several months. Elisabeth Borne announced plans to introduce the new tax in April this year. At that time, it was also heavily criticized by French carriers, although they would be able to deduct the fee from tax. The governmental draft assumes a fee for a vignette of „430 euros per year for 3-axle vehicles and 1200 euros per year for vehicles with 4 or more axles.” The tax is supposed to apply to trucks with GVW over 12 tonnes.

However, the concepts of the French government are constantly changing, so it is difficult to assess at this time whether this will be the final form of fees introduced in France.

Photo: Flickr/EU2017EE Estonian Presidency CC0

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